On 5-16 April, the film “Sunrise over Lake Van” was shown in Berlin, Munich, Aschaffenburg, Almelo, Brussels, Liège , Marseilles, Desin and Saint-Étienne through the efforts of and funding by the RA Ministry of Diaspora. The film screenings were part of the events dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide and were attended by one of the film’s directors, Vahan Stepanyan.

The film is about the family of Karapet Pambukchyan, who moves to the United States of America in the wake of the Armenian Genocide. The danger of assimilation of the fourth generation of Armenians in a multi-ethnic society lies at the core of the film. On one side is Karapet’s son, who rebels against his father’s attempts to help him preserve his roots, and on the other side is Karapet’s grandson, who has fallen in love with a Turk. Karapet, 80, whose mother was saved by a miracle during the Armenian Genocide, aspires to awaken and instill in his alienated son and grandson the connection to the lost homeland and save the family from alienation and separation.

The shootings were in Armenia, the United States, France and Western Armenia.

The audiences were touched by the plot and the actors from different countries, including Jean-Pierre Nshanian (USA), Aren Vatyan (Russian Federation), Arevik Martirosyan (France) and especially Karen Jangiryan’s great acting. For the first time, a Turkish actor by the name of Gunis Zan starred in an Armenian film and played the role of one of the girlfriends of Karapet’s grandson. Zan also plays the role of a Turkish girl in the film.

The Armenian audiences received the film warmly and with excitement. The screenings were followed by discussions and analyses on the Armenian Genocide and its consequences, which lied at the core of the plot.

The high-level organization of the film screenings was due to the efforts of representatives of the Armenian communities, including Mikayel Minasyan (Berlin), Gilbert Momdjian (Munich), Khachik Mkhitaryan (Aschaffenburg), Minu Nikpayin (Cologne), Harut Poghosyan (Almelo), Hermine Azaryan and Lusine Nersisyan (Liège), Peter Petrosian (Brussels), Hagop Etoian (Lyon), Frank Ohanessian (Marseilles) and many other individuals.