Ararat Atom Egoyan

Outline Atom Egoyan ’ s ‘ Home-Coming ’ Atom Egoyan ’ s ‘ Home-Coming ’ Ararat: General Introduction and Questions Ararat: General Introduction and Questions Personal Histories: Personal Histories: 1.Ani and Celia; 2.Raffi, Ani and Celia; 3.Raffi in his Quest for Knowledge 4.David and Ali Public History Public History Ways of Presentation Ways of Presentation

Atom Egoyan & Ararat “ Home ” -coming in two senses: “ Home ” -coming in two senses: 1. Making a “ Canadian ” film after the two international projects: Felicia ’ s Journey (shot in Britain and Ireland, 1999); Krapp ’ s Last Tape (Beckett on Film series) 2. More and more ‘ personal ’ and emotional, less cerebral. (The Sweethereafter 1997) (The Sweethereafter 1997)

Atom Egoyan: Films with Armenian Connections Next of Kin: A bored young Canadian, while receiving experimental "video therapy", discovers tapes of an Armenian family who are missing a son. The young man assumes the identity of the long-lost boy, and is readily adopted by this new "family". Next of Kin: A bored young Canadian, while receiving experimental "video therapy", discovers tapes of an Armenian family who are missing a son. The young man assumes the identity of the long-lost boy, and is readily adopted by this new "family". Calendar: An Armenian-Canadian photographer gets estranged from his wife, who is closer to Armenian culture, during their trip to Armenia, and then, back in Toronto, he needs to find a way to face this sad memory. Calendar: An Armenian-Canadian photographer gets estranged from his wife, who is closer to Armenian culture, during their trip to Armenia, and then, back in Toronto, he needs to find a way to face this sad memory.

Atom Egoyan: Films with Armenian Connections The Adjuster: There are two sisters from Armenia who have to burn pictures of the past and forget about them. The Adjuster: There are two sisters from Armenia who have to burn pictures of the past and forget about them. The other films: The other films: – displacement in a city, dysfunction of family, rituals of remembering and survival, etc. – including Exotica.

Personal connections: Actors/Actresses Charles Aznavour – an Armenian French singer/star; Charles Aznavour – an Armenian French singer/star; Eric Bogosian – American writer/actor of Armenian origin: “ Like Rouben, I a Armenian and I wanted to embrace that by being part of this project. ” Eric Bogosian – American writer/actor of Armenian origin: “ Like Rouben, I a Armenian and I wanted to embrace that by being part of this project. ” The others: Bruce Greenwood (actor/Clarence Ussher), Arsin é e Khanjian (Ani), Elias Koteas (Ali/Jevdet Bey ) The others: Bruce Greenwood (actor/Clarence Ussher), Arsin é e Khanjian (Ani), Elias Koteas (Ali/Jevdet Bey )Arsin é e KhanjianElias KoteasArsin é e KhanjianElias Koteas © Miramax Films © Miramax Films

Ararat: General Introd. Plotlines: Plotlines: 1. planned genocide in Van: characters: Missionary Ussher, the boy Gorky, the photographer and his son in the center; e.g. clip clip 2. Raffi – Celia – Ani triangle (2 fathers); e.g. clip David – Philip – Ali triangle; e.g. clip clip 4. Ani – Gorky – Sorayan (the actor and script writer) – Egoyan

Starting Questions Egoyan: “ Ararat is as much about Canada now as it is about the Armenian genocide. ” Do you agree? Why? Egoyan: “ Ararat is as much about Canada now as it is about the Armenian genocide. ” Do you agree? Why? There are two different kinds of ‘ history ’ in this film: personal history and national history. How do they influence or overlap with each other in each character? There are two different kinds of ‘ history ’ in this film: personal history and national history. How do they influence or overlap with each other in each character?  Ani and Raffi, Ani and Celia, David and Philip, Ali and Raffi, Saroyan, Archile Gorky. How is the film within the film different in style from the film, Ararat? How is the film within the film different in style from the film, Ararat?

Personal Histories (1): Ani and Celia Battle between Ani and Celia – Battle between Ani and Celia – – Celia wants to believe that her father does not commit suicide; – Ani uses the story of Gorky and his mother to assert the right of a mother; she does not feel responsible for helping Celia deal with her past; –Bottled up, Celia becomes disruptive and even destructive.

Personal Histories (1): Ani, Raffi, and Celia Both children need to understand their fathers ’ suicide, its purposes and meanings. Clip: 2 Both children need to understand their fathers ’ suicide, its purposes and meanings. Clip: 22

Personal Histories (2): Raffi confused Different views of history: Ali ’ s and Sorayan ’ s Different views of history: Ali ’ s and Sorayan ’ s

Personal Histories (2): Raffi confused

Personal Histories (2): Raffi confused  Assertion

Personal Histories (2): Raffi ’ s Quest What does Raffi get in Turkey and near Ararat? What does Raffi get in Turkey and near Ararat? Raffi goes in searching and almost destroys himself by being implicated in drug-dealing. Clip: the final scenes 1, Raffi goes in searching and almost destroys himself by being implicated in drug-dealing. Clip: the final scenes 1,1 Resolution: Belief and the mother ’ s saving/nourishing hands: 2.  Gorky Resolution: Belief and the mother ’ s saving/nourishing hands: 2.  Gorky2 More later... More later...

Personal Histories (3): Gorky Cannot get over the past (witnessing the brutal killing of his friend, and Armenian women) clip: the “ witness ” account Cannot get over the past (witnessing the brutal killing of his friend, and Armenian women) clip: the “ witness ” accountthe “ witness ” accountthe “ witness ” account

Personal Histories (4): David, Philip, Ali Personal Histories (4): David, Philip, Ali David tries to accept Philip and Ali, but he is deeply Christian. David tries to accept Philip and Ali, but he is deeply Christian. Philip rejects David out of his sense of insecurity. Philip rejects David out of his sense of insecurity. David tries to open up more by letting Raffi go (not performing his duty in catching him), having Philip in mind. David tries to open up more by letting Raffi go (not performing his duty in catching him), having Philip in mind.

Personal Histories to Public History Personal Histories to Public History Sorayan ’ s film: Sorayan ’ s film: 1. What do you think about the showing of all the killings and rape and heroism? 1. What do you think about the showing of all the killings and rape and heroism? –E.g. the women burned; the last scene with a woman raped; the photographer ’ s suicidal heroism; 2. Some clips to think over: 2. Some clips to think over: –Ani ’ s intrusion into the set; intrusion into the setintrusion into the set –The intersection of Raffi ’ s reading, interpretation and the eyewitness account; the eyewitness account the eyewitness account –Different Views Different ViewsDifferent Views

Atom Egoyan: “ Ararat ” the Film I do not want to make those images ironic. I do, however, want to underline the limitations of that kind of representation. ” I do not want to make those images ironic. I do, however, want to underline the limitations of that kind of representation. ” What are the limitations of repeating histories of sadness? What are the limitations of repeating histories of sadness?

Atom Egoyan: Ararat a "meditation on the spiritual role of art in the process of struggling for meaning and redemption in the aftermath of genocide. “ ( ca-egoyan_article_theguardian.htm ). a "meditation on the spiritual role of art in the process of struggling for meaning and redemption in the aftermath of genocide. “ ( ca-egoyan_article_theguardian.htm ). ca-egoyan_article_theguardian.htmhttp:// ca-egoyan_article_theguardian.htm “ I wanted to more to examine the role and consequences of art making: how people make artifacts of their experience, and what those artifacts mean to them. ” (McSorley) “ I wanted to more to examine the role and consequences of art making: how people make artifacts of their experience, and what those artifacts mean to them. ” (McSorley)

Ararat: Opening and Conclusion Opening – different forms of art fade into Toronto Airport Opening – different forms of art fade into Toronto Airport Opening Remembering through human artifacts, which including forms of art and storytelling. Remembering through human artifacts, which including forms of art and storytelling.

Ararat: Conclusion Closing – Closing – 1. What Raffi shows to Celia: “ I felt it ” “ His ghost. ”

Ararat: Conclusion Closing – Closing – 2. The hands ’ touching and working

Reference Tom McSorley. “ Far Away, So Close: Atom Egoyan Returns Home with Ararat. ” Take One 2002 (Sept-Nov): Tom McSorley. “ Far Away, So Close: Atom Egoyan Returns Home with Ararat. ” Take One 2002 (Sept-Nov): 8-13.