Author: Maghakian Mike

ARCHBISHOP MUTAFIAN AND COHORTS DISTRAUGHT

Azg/arm
18 March 05

When certain traditional values are trampled and hierarchical order is
under assault, it is symptomatic that the fabric of a given society
has a breakdown. Unfortunately, a young clergyman on the historical
throne of the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul has signaled this
deterioration, which threatens to infect the Diaspora with the help
and collusion of some cohorts.

For a long time the Diaspora Armenians had been watching the
activities of Archbishop Mutafian with deep concern, because those
activities were, at best, characterized with eccentricity. Yet as long
as he had confined his activities to his flock, no one would dare to
criticize the young clergyman, especially in view of the intellectual
elite still active in the community and a leadership cherishing
traditional values and watching unorthodox tendencies to be checked.

Diaspora is particularly cognizant of the conditions that Turkish
authorities have created to suffocate and disrupt Armenian community
life in Turkey.

For that reason we always considered that meddling in the affairs of
Istanbul Armenian community life from abroad would hamper an already
difficult mission of the leadership in that community.

All these considerations intended to help that leadership to perform
its function in daunting circumstances.

Archbishop Mutafian disregarded all those sensitive relations and all
of a sudden decided to export his eccentricities to other communities
with unchecked imperial ambitions. As if the Armenian Church did not
have enough problems with the division initiated by Antelias,
Archbishop Mutafian came out with his own brand of division, trying to
undermine the authority of his Holiness Catholicos Karekin II, supreme
spiritual leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Without getting
into details, it suffices to mention his solidarity with the former
Primate of Moscow who had rebelled against the Catholicos. Fortunately
the former Primate, Ghazaros Gureghian, was defrocked and the legal
challenge was resolved in favor of Holy Etchmiadzin.

That eliminated one of Archbishop Mutafian’s allies in the church. But
he would not rest nor respect the hierarchy of the Armenian Church. He
seized another opportunity to vent his revolt against Etchmiadzin,
when the Catholicos awarded an Istanbul Armenian couple with a medal
for their contribution to the Church. Archbishop Mutafian
disgracefully returned Vehapar’s encyclical requesting a “correction”;
that irrational gesture had two main intentions: a) to demonstrate his
disrespect to the spiritual head of the church, b) to request that a
specific clause be added to the encyclical indicating that the
benefactors were being awarded only for their contributions to
Armenia. That, of course, intended to raise a red flag for Turkish
authorities that Armenians in Istanbul were earning the money in
Turkey and investing it in Armenia, knowing full well the
interpretation of this transaction in Turkish conspiratorial mind.

Certainly, the same disrespectful mentality had prompted Archbishop
Mutafian to sue the AGBU, knowing full well that the AGBU leadership
is very supportive of Mother See at Etchmiadzin.

It is Archbishop Mutafian’s last worry to see an Armenian school (i.e.
Melkonian) closed down in the Diaspora, when he has been complaining
about his own turf, the Turkish-Armenian community, for having too
many schools.

The “Opinion Piece” of the ADL, which also appeared on the editorial
page of the Mirror-Spectator, intended to criticize the archbishop for
suing a century-old venerable organization, and not necessarily
discuss the closure of Melkonian Educational Institution.

It looks like our criticism has also irritated some of the
archbishop’s cohorts. It would have been a shame to keep silent in
front of a disgraceful act. Archbishop Mutafian has issued a rebuttal
on March 5, 2005, under the signature of Istanbul Armenian
Patriarchate.

The official opinion of any organization reflects the collective
thinking of its leadership. Here again, in the rebuttal, Archbishop
Mutafian singles out the name of one of the ADL chairmen to point out
to the Turkish authorities who their true enemy is.

Although his Beatitude claims that he does not wish to dignify our
criticism with an answer, he answers anyway, by contradicting himself
and characterizes the ADL ideology as “bankrupt”. The ADL ideology is
based on the belief in the democratic system, on the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide and the liberation of historic Armenian
homeland. These ideals can only be considered “bankrupt” for people
living under the fearful Turkish military rule.

The good Archbishop has found an ardent defender in Ms. Arpi Totoyan
of Paris, who has even pre-empted him by signing an article in the
daily Haratch, issue of March 4. This young writer, who cherishes
tutoring manners to everybody in the Armenian life – sometimes
overtopping her bounds – needs to learn one important thing: to
understand correctly the texts that she reads.

Indeed, she claims to have found a mistake in our statement that Sourp
Khach Seminary does not exist. And she insists that Sourp Khach exists
as a high school educating many generations for a half a century. For
all practical purposes, it does not exist, because it was founded to
educate clergy, but the Turkish authorities banned its mission,
allowing it to exist as a secondary school. It does not take a rocket
scientist to understand the true issue in this case.

In her fiery defense, Ms. Totoyan states that Archbishop Mesrob does
not need any defense (but she does anyway) and deviating from the main
issue, states that similar opinion pieces cannot absolve the AGBU from
closing the Melkonian, while our point was to take issue with his
Beatitude for suing an Armenian organization and not necessarily
debate the closure of Melkonian, which was already debated ad nauseam
in our press.

Should this lawsuit continue, a fair verdict would be rendered,
because the US courts don’t operate like Turkish courts. Yet whatever
the verdict, there will be no winners in this case. We will all be
embarrassed as Armenians, especially in this year when we plan to
commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Genocide.

We may not rule out the possibility that the main motive behind this
lawsuit was to dampen the impact of the commemoration. The onus of
this deplorable campaign rests on Archbishop Mutafian and his cohorts
for this uncalled for provocation.

The outcome will only please the Turks, who may already be watching
with great amusement.

Office of the ADL Central Press Committee

Glendale News Press
Published March 16, 2005

Turning trash into treasure

By Joyce Rudolph, News-Press and Leader

The old adage, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, is taken to
another dimension by Glendale artist Raffi Adalyan, who transforms discarded
items into works of art to last a lifetime.
The 64-year-old incorporates used objects, such as broken violins and old
shoes, into his three-dimensional paintings, he explained, his daughter Yeva
Adalyan translating.

“He gets attached to things,” his daughter said. “While other people put old
violins in the trash, he makes them live forever.”
Raffi Adalyan’s work, on display this week at the Harvest Gallery in
Glendale, is an updated version of a series he started in the early 1960s
while in Armenia.
But those had no color, he said.
“When I came to the United States in 1992, the style of the 1960s came back
to me, but in a completely different mood — with color,” he said.
His work was limited in 1960s, he said, because Armenia was under Soviet
government, which had strict rules about art expression. He had to hide a
lot of his work.
In one work, he has painted over used shoes, in adult and children’s sizes,
so you can’t see them very well. It depicts the massacres of innocent people
around the world because of their political or religious beliefs, he said.
“It’s my way of rebelling against it,” he said.
Raffi Adalyan is thrilled that Harvest Gallery owner Aris Ajand asked him to
show his unique work.
“What we like to do is to show new artists or show artists’ work in
different settings,” Ajand said.
Most of the paintings being shown have violins incorporated into the design,
but each says something different to the viewer, he said.
“When next to each other, the consumer sees the differences,” he said. “And
it’s interesting to see how the people choose their favorite one or two.”
The Armenian-born artist is also a violinist, thus the liberal use of the
instrument in his work. He graduated from Yerevan’s Music Conservatory in
1966, and played with the Yerevan Philharmonic Orchestra for 20 years.
After rehearsals, he would go to the studio and paint. He received no formal
training in this art but learned the basic techniques when he was 13 from
his brother, Ruben Adalyan, an accomplished painter.
“Ruben is my worst and best critic,” he said.
In 1976, his first solo exhibit of 60 paintings was at the Contemporary Art
Gallery of Yerevan. He has also shown at the Leon Ragain Gallery in France
and galleries around the world.
He came to the United States in 1992 with his wife, Nora, who he met at the
conservatory. She is a viola player. Their son, Martiros Adalian is also a
painter.
Raffi Adalyan is preparing for his 65th birthday celebration exhibition in
October in ArmeniaThe works, measuring at least 10 feet wide by 6 feet tall,
are made of multiple layers of canvas that have been torn as a method of
being interactive with viewers.
People can peal back a layer to expose pictures or poetry — and even a no
smoking sign — underneath.
His main goal, he said, is to create some kind of emotion and make them
think.
“Art in the last few decades hasn’t gone anywhere, and that’s a shame
because we need new ideas in art, and there always needs to be a rebel,” he
said.
FYI
WHAT: Raffi Adalyan solo exhibit
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sunday
WHERE: Harvest Gallery, 938 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale
INFO: (818) 546-1000

PanArmenian News
March 15 2005

ISSUE OF RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE NOT TO BECOME POLITICAL
CRITERION FOR TURKEY’S ACCESSION TO EU

15.03.2005 05:47

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide
will not be a political criterion for Turkey,’ head of the
representation of the European Commission in Turkey Hansjorg
Kretschmer stated. The demands that the international community
recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide, which are on the agenda
in France, raised the questions on how these demands will tell on
Turkey’s ambitious plans of accession to the EU. Hansjorg Kretschmer
noted that the decision to support the beginning of talks with Turkey
on its accession to the EU, passed December 17, 2004, evidences that
official Ankara `has met the political criteria to a considerable
degree.’

Former Azeri opposition leader not to leave politics, party head says

ANS TV, Baku
14 Mar 05

The newly-elected chairman of the opposition Azarbaycan Milli Istiqlal Party,
or the National Independence Party, has said the party’s former leader Etibar
Mammadov might reappear on the political stage to head completely new forces.

“It cannot be ruled out that Etibar bay [form of address] will return to the
political arena with completely new forces and new qualities,” Ali Aliyev said
in an interview with private ANS TV on 14 March.

Aliyev went on to say that AMIP might facilitate the creation of a major
movement in Azerbaijan, which could, like in Ukraine and Georgia, decide the
country’s political fate.

“Processes might intensify and become global. One has to know that Etibar bay
has not yet had a final say in politics and that he is still in politics,”
the AMIP leader said.

Aliyev described as false the reports that AMIP members are mainly those who
come from Armenia.

“I was born in Baku and have nothing to do with the place you mentioned. But
I was elected party chairman in a run-off. I think this is the best answer to
your question,” Aliyev said.

“AMIP has been a nationalist party from the outset. One of the tasks of the
newly-elected leadership today is to conduct nationalist propaganda in the
country,” the party chairman said.

PanArmenian News Analysis
March 14 2005

BAKU – A MEETING POINT FOR CHECHEN RADICALS

Determined to continue his father’s job, Aslan Maskhadov’s son has
found asylum in the capital of Azerbaijan.

The three-day mourning for the killed Ichkerian president Aslan
Maskhadov has come to an end. The ceremony was held in Baku where
Anzor Maskhadov, the son of the late president lives. In honor of his
father, he bought the biggest bull in market, slaughtered it and gave
out to the poor. According to Baku mass media, Anzor, together with
Maskhadov’s widow and the “leaders of official representations of
Chechnian Republic of Ichkeria in Azerbaijan and Europe” received
condolences from hundreds of people. The presence of all those people
on the hospitable land of Azerbaijan cannot but arise questions among
Russians whom Baku leaders assure of friendship and brotherhood.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Recently, in his interview to “Interfax” agency,
the head of state frontier service Elchin Guliev stated with
responsibility that no person named Anzor Maskhadov entered the
territory of Azerbaijan. The chief of police of Baku Mageram Aliev
also assures that the Chechen leader’s son has never been to
Azerbaijan. It turns out that high-ranking officials have simply told
lies because according to independent sources the former field
commander Anzor Maskhadov lives and works in Baku since 2003.
Thumbing through his biography it will be quite easy to guess what he
is doing in Azerbaijan.

Twenty-nine year old Anzor started to fight against Russians yet
during the first Chechen campaign. At first, he formally was an
ordinary fighter but very soon, his father started to entrust his
group with quite responsible missions. During one of the diversionary
sallies he was wounded. Noticing the talent of commander in his son,
Aslan Maskhadov sent him to training in a military academy in
Malaysia. According to Russian mass media he was at the same time the
“representative of the government of Chechen Republic of Ichkeria” in
Kuala-Lumpur and provided shade turnover of state funds for funding
terrorism. Anzor’s business did not limit in gold and precious stones
trade. According to “Komsomolskaya Pravda” paper in February 2003, he
decided to multiply the money trusted to him thanks to porn industry.
In January 2002 in Sacramento, he registered a porn website with a
monthly entrance fee of 39.9 dollars.

For some course of time, Anzor lived in Turkey but then he realized
that in no other country would he feel as comfortable as in
Azerbaijan where Chechen emissaries had established a regional
headquarters. In Baku Maskhadov junior worked in active cooperation
with the “leader of the representation of Chechen Republic of
Ichkeria” Ali Asaev. Soon, his mother, 16-year-old Fatima, his wife
and three children also moved to Azerbaijan. The formal status of
Maskhadov in Azerbaijan – correspondent of Turkish network edition
“InternetAJANS.com”. Anyway, it is hard to believe that he earns his
living by publishing his articles on the website. Possibly, Anzor had
several grounds to suppose that after his father’s death he would be
proclaimed the successor of his father as it was after the murder of
Akhmad Kadirov, the head of pro-Russian Chechnian regime. “I will
replace my father. I have already established contact with his
assistants abroad,” said Anzor Maskhadov in his interview to “Reiter”
news agency on the next day after the events in Tolsta-Urta.
Nevertheless, he did not manage to come to power.

Official Moscow has more than once expressed surprise about the
comfortable conditions that are provided in Baku for Chechen figures.
Not setting any hopes on the cooperation with local security organs,
Russian special services have liquidated nine notorious terrorists
during the last four years. Among them were Vakha Ibragimov who
represented Djakhar Dudayev in the negotiations with the leadership
of Afghan “Taliban” movement, field commander Magomed Kariev, former
bodyguard of Aslan Maskhadov Khizir Talkhadov, field commander and
assistant of Emir Khatab Magomedali Magomedov. According to Baku
“Echo” paper in August 2004, Russian special services were intending
to capture Anzor Maskhadov in Baku, but for some reason later on,
they gave up that idea.

It is getting more and more difficult for Russian authorities to
suppress their indignation on the free activity of Chechen terrorists
in Baku. This can be noticed in the latest statements of the deputy
head of the committee on regional policy of the upper chamber of
Russian parliament Valerie Kadakhov who is very well aware of the
“Azeri tracks” of Chechen terrorists because he has taken part in the
investigation of the tragedy in Beslan. During the last conference of
the Russian-Azerbaijanian inter-Parliamentary commission he stated,
“Headquarters of Aslan Maskhadov is located on the territory of
Azerbaijan and I do not believe that Baku authorities fight against
terrorism”. In the course of preparations to the operation in Beslan
school Kadakhov got assured that the terrorists were coordinated from
Baku. “To get people out we agreed to get in touch with the forces
controlling terrorists. The only telephone call was from Baku” the
Russian deputy mentioned. In addition, Kadakhov said, “I would advise
not to irritate Russia. We have had a lot of losses…” Azerbaijan
did not listen to the advice again. Meanwhile, the patience of Moscow
of course has limits.

Artyom Yerkanyan

The Unifying force behind Hai Dat

Yerkir/arm
11 March 05

A fundraising dinner devoted to the foreign policy activities of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau and more generally to
the activities of Hai Dat was held in Paris on February 26. This was
not the first dinner of this kind. The dinner was a successful
initiative and became a promising precedent for similar events in the
future.

The first such dinner was organized by the ARF Bureau in Geneva four
years ago. One million dollars raised during the dinner in 2001 served
to establish and finance ARF’s Hai Dat European office in Brussels.
1.8 million dollars raised during the second fundraising dinner held
in Paris this year came to prove that the activities of ARF’s Hai Dat
that have recently gained new momentum in Europe have greatly inspired
the people whobelieve in ARF’s political mission. The funds raised at
the dinner show these people’ s commitment and willingness to help
achieve ARF Bureau’s task of reaching new horizons for Hai Dat
activities.

The success of the fundraising event in Paris fills all of us with
pride and self-confidence since not only a significant amount of money
was raised but also the social, political and geographic distribution
of people who contributed to the fundraising has expanded in three
directions thus expanding the limits of Hai Dat activities.

The first direction is no doubt the contribution of Armenians from
Armenia to the Paris fundraising event. The participation of Armenians
from Armenia was very inspiring both in terms of the number of
participants and the amount of the contributions they made.

In other words, the practice of donating funds for Hai Dat activities
that used to be more of a Diaspora tradition has now started to
establish itselfin Armenia as well thus unifying and strengthening the
national-political potential of Hai Dat activities.

This development is especially inspiring since the Armenian
participants of the fundraising effort, National Assembly deputies and
businessmen, included not only ARF members but also representatives of
various political forces in Armenia.

The second accomplishment of the Paris fundraising dinner was the
impressive effort of national unification to support the Hai Dat
activities. Catholicos of the Great Cilicia Diocese Aram I was
sponsoring the fundraising dinners both in Geneva and in Paris.

He attended the dinner and blessed the event devoted to the Hai Dat
activities. The Paris fundraising became a precedent for attracting
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II’s support – a high level
delegation representing the Catholicos attended the dinner.

In a speech delivered on behalf of the delegation, Archbishop Vache
Hovsepian welcomed ARF’s Hai Dat activities and conveyed the blessings
of the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.

The official Armenian authorities were represented at the dinner at
the level of ambassadors. The Armenian foreign minister could not
attend the event because of health problems. The chief of AGBU’s
Central Board sent a note of support and appreciation of Hai Dat
activities. Deputy Levon Chamakhchian presented an official note on
the part of the Russian State Duma.

The Armenians of Russia were represented at the dinner by Armenian
businessmen supporting the mission of Hai Dat and ARF. President of
Armenian Global Congress Ara Abrahamian contributed $200,000. This
contribution is sufficient to show the national unification that has
emerged around the Hai Dat activities.

Finally, the third significant improvement of the Paris fundraising
dinner was the inspiringly large number of people who contributed
money. The fundraising effort in Geneva was marked by a significant
number of people who contributed large amounts of money.

Meanwhile, the Paris event was marked by a large number of
participants which proves that the scope and popularity of the circles
supporting Hai Dat activities have increased. The challenges ARF’s
political activities are facing make both types of contributions very
valuable and important. The most important thing is that our Hai Dat
struggle enjoys the support of all Armenian circles.

The contribution of the Armenians from Lebanon was very significant in
this respect. Despite the severe political crisis that has occurred in
Lebanon, the Lebanon Armenians once again restated their commitment to
unconditional support of Hai Dat activities and ARF’s mission. The
relatively increased participation of Armenians from Iran, Kuwait and
United Arab Emirates was equally encouraging and inspiring.

February 26, 2005 became an unforgettable day of success for Hai Dat
struggle and ARF’s foreign policy activities. The fundraising dinner
organized by ARF’ s Bureau in Paris came to prove that struggle for
restoration of the Armenian nation’s national-political rights can
unify different segments of the nation thus laying the ground for
national unification.

Droshak, March 2005

Zaman, Turkey
March 13 2005

Armenian Claims are not EU Criteria
By Salih Boztas
Published: Sunday 13, 2005
zaman.com

Claims about the so-called Armenian genocide on the agenda in France
have raised questions about how it will affect Turkey’s European
Union (EU) ambitions. European Union Commission Turkey Representative
Hansjorg Kretschmer thinks that the Armenian issue will not become a
political criterion before Turkey. Giving a brief statement about the
political criteria, Kretschmer said, “With the December 17 decision,
it was accepted that Ankara had ‘sufficiently’ fulfilled the
political criteria. Of course, it cannot be said they were totally
fulfilled. Government officials also think in this way.”

Priorities according to Kretschmer: Some advice was given to the
goverment about 103 legal issues. Judicial reform should be made to
ensure harmony with the EU. Religious freedom of non-Muslim
minorities should be provided. The laws for foundations should be
reviewed. Women’s rights should be made a priority. Defects in the
implementation of freedom of expression and the Law of Association
should be immediately eliminated.

CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES CALLED US PRESIDENT ACKNOWLEDGE THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN HIS REMEMBRANCE REMARKS ON APRIL 24

07.03.2005 06:45

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Assembly of America commended
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg and
Frank Pallone today for launching a letter-writing campaign to ask
President Bush to appropriately acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in
his remembrance remarks next month, the Armenian Assembly of America
reports. â~@~We are writing to urge you to join us in reaffirming the
United States record on the Armenian Genocide in your upcoming April
24th commemorative statement. By properly recognizing the terrible
atrocities committed against the Armenian people as “genocide” in your
statement, you will honor the many Americans who helped launch the
unprecedented U.S. diplomatic, political and humanitarian campaign
to end the carnage and protect the survivors. The United States must
never allow crimes against humanity to pass without remembrance and
condemnation. By commemorating the Armenian Genocide, we renew our
commitment to prevent future atrocities, and therefore negate the
dictum that history is condemned to repeat itselfâ~@~], the message
says.

–Boundary_(ID_EQW1vg70fsM5StNHG/3KlQ)–

TURKEY VENTS ITS POLITICAL AMBITIONS AGAINST ARMENIANS AND KURDS ON
NAMES OF ANIMALS

YEREVAN, MARCH 7. ARMINFO. “Corrections” of the Latin names of wild
animals by Turkish authorities are nothing but political games,
Armenian Nature Protection Minister Vardan Ayvazyan informs ARMINFO
commenting on the instruction of the Turkish Ministry for Environment
and Forest Economy Protection on liquidation of adjectives from the
names of a number animals bearing any relations to Kurdistan and
Armenia.

In particular, Turkish Mass Media reports that in conformity with
instructions of the Turkish authorities, the red fox more known as
“Kurdistani fox” will be called just red fox, moufflon. Besides,
“wild Armenian sheep” has been renamed into “wild sheep of Anatolia.”
The Armenian roe deer will be called just roe deer from now and on.
According to Turkish Mass Media, Head of the Department for
Protection of Nature and National Parks of Turkey Professor Kemal
Yalinkilich stated that the scientific names of these wild animals
were changed “within the interests of the country”. “At present some
strange games are wages with respect to our country. A number of
persons use the names of representatives of our fauna in order to
emphasize that Kurds and Armenians lived here. Changing the names of
these animals, we have put an end to these games,” the professor
said.

Commenting on this statement, Vardan Ayvazyan pointed out that the
political problems were not solved by combating Latin names. the
minister said adding that it is Turks who have waged “these strange
games” for the last five centuries.

Daily Iowan , IA
March 7 2005

The land where lemons taste like almonds

Film Review: Vodka Lemon
By David Frank – The Daily Iowan
Published: Monday, March 7, 2005

** out of ****

Vodka Lemon opens on an amusing shot of a sick geezer lying on his
bed as it’s being pulled along a snowy road. This extreme bed
sledding concludes at the village’s cemetery, where the man removes
his dentures and begins playing a squawky wind instrument for a
funeral. Quirkiness and misery butt heads throughout Vodka Lemon as
the film’s characters carve out meager livings in a poverty-stricken
Armenian village that’s but a speck on the barren white landscape.

Hamo (Romen Avinian), a leather-faced widower, spends his days
selling the sentimental belongings of his past for chump-change and
visiting his wife’s tombstone. Even outside the graveyard, he still
talks to his wife’s portrait located on his otherwise bare
living-room wall. Hamo lives a lonely existence with only a few
neighbors, a lowlife son, and an apathetic granddaughter to keep him
company while they all eagerly wait for Hamo’s other son to send
money from Paris.

Nina (Lala Sarkissian), a middle-aged widow and single mother, also
treks to the cemetery on a daily basis. She works at a roadside booze
stand (that looks similar to a Dairy Queen) that specifically sells
Vodka Lemon – the almond-flavored drink of choice for the film’s
characters. Why does it tastes like almonds? Because that’s the
Armenian way, according to Nina. Yet, even with a job, Nina still
finds it difficult to pay bus fare for her daily graveyard venture.

After taking notice of Nina’s inability to shell out cash for bus
rides, Hamo begins to pay her way. Eventually the two characters
begin smiling and glancing at one another like two sheepish kids with
a schoolyard crush; it’s a romance of small gestures.

However, Vodka Lemon meanders into half-baked and separate subplots
involving Hamo’s granddaughter getting hitched and Nina’s pianist
daughter secretly whoring herself out to a fat boar of a man. Not
only do these scenes overstay their welcome with their extraneous
nature and labored construction, they also cut the legs out from
underneath the film with surprising violence.

>>From start to the finish, Vodka Lemon stuffs oddity into its
narrative – such as an unidentified horse rider who gallops in and
out of frame during unexpected moments. And it seems director Hiner
Saleem desires to run two opposing atmospheres throughout the film –
one fluttering with whimsy and the other sunk deep into unyielding
gloom – but he never finds a way in blending them so the quirkiness
isn’t forced and unnatural when placed next to the morose. What we’re
left with is an oil-and-water tone in which neither of the two
elements are compelling.