Published: Saturday November 05, 2011
Eric Nazarian with Bosnian filmmaker Aida Begic in Istanbul.
The name of Armenian-American film director, Eric Nazarian, is not unknown to Armenia’s film audiences. For three years successively, he participated in the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival from 2008-2010. His first feature film as writer-director, The Blue Hour, was awarded four prizes in 2008 – The Golden Apricot for Best Film in the Armenian Panorama, The Ecumenical Jury Award, The Prime Minister’s Award and the Diaspora Ministry’s Special Award for Directing.
It was a nice surprise to learn that Eric’s next movie has been made in Turkey, as part of an international omnibus project entitled Do Not Forget Me, Istanbul. The premiere of this film took place at the Istanbul Film Festival last April and is currently on the festival circuit. In this film, seven different filmmakers present some scenes from the life of the various ethnic minorities of Istanbul. Josephina Markarian, a Greek-Armenian, currently living in Istanbul, is also a part of the project.
Eric Nazarian, who was born in Armenia and lives in U.S. since childhood, presents a personal story of his compatriot who is the descendant of the one of oldest communities of the city on the Bosphorus. In 18 minutes, Nazarian’s film entitled “Bolis,” captures through images of everyday life, the conversations and brief encounter between a Diaspora Armenian musician and a Turkish widow. Through their encounter, the tragic history of one nation is unraveled through the musician’s story.
This is a simple story reminding us about the presence of the past within the modern-day psyche of Armenians worldwide and the responsibility of the inheritors on both sides to never forget and speak openly about a history that has been buried but refuses to be forgotten. My conversation with Eric Nazarian intends to reveal some aspects of this unprecedented Armenian-Turkish cooperation…
Q. – Well, Eric, nowadays all kinds of Armenian-Turkish collaborations are no longer surprising… but how it happened that you appeared in this project?
EN: My friend Cigdem Mater introduced the project to me. Huseyin Karabey the producer invited me to participate in the omnibus. The theme of what we remember and what we force ourselves to forget is important for me as an Armenian and as a filmmaker. The goal of the project that was initially pitched to me was to reminding Istanbul through these films of the past cultures that contributed to what the city is today. These past cultures have over time been “forgotten,” hence the title “Do Not Forget Me Istanbul.” I felt my story of Armenak’s journey to Bolis (Istanbul) fit thematically. The film is based on my feature screenplay “Bolis” that follows Armenak from Los Angeles to Istanbul to find his grandfather’s oud shop and a family heirloom that disappeared during the Armenian Genocide.
Q. – You were born in Armenia, your parents came from Iran, now you live in US. What is Armenian Bolis for you?
EN: When I was a child, I went to American school on weekdays and Armenian school on weekends. Everything I learned about cinema, literature and art I owe a tremendous gratitude to my beloved father Haik, aunt Parik, uncle Haso and my entire family who raised me to appreciate the cultures and arts of all nations.
My first recollection of this term “Bolis” is from my beloved grandfather Hovhannes who would tell me these beautiful and textured stories of all the writers and poets of Constantinople, as Istanbul was calle