Ararat (2002)
Loss, perception, belief, history,
denial, family dynamics, grief... these are all subjects
Atom Egoyan deals with in "Ararat." And he does so
brilliantly. This is an amazing script weaving stories
and moments of profound depth and emotion. And it
is an obviously personal film. Egoyan is himself a
Canadian of Armenian descent and his film references
and delves intricately the penultimate moment in Armenian
history.
But rather than echo Spielberg's
"Schindler's List" (among other films) and simply
give a detailed recount of the Armenian genocide that
took place at the hand of Turkey in the early 20th
century, Egoyan goes much deeper into the themes and
ideals of the history of the atrocity. Egoyan makes
the film a highly personal and moving story not simply
by portraying the events of the massacre of his ancestors.
He builds a sprawling yet cohesive storyline that
deals with family, history, filmmaking and art among
these other factual events. How Egoyan accomplishes
something so profound, personal and poignant is much
better described simply by seeing the movie. He is
masterful in interweaving not only story and character
arcs, but themes and ideas as well. The multi-layered
stories we get here consistently intent on proving
only one thing: History is personal. What we remember
is who we are. What we adapt and graft as our own
history and culture becomes our future and our lives.
Now, I will not lie. What Egoyan
presents here is difficult and troubling. Since it
is a part of history that many Americans know nothing
about, it is often hard to follow exactly what is
going on in the film and what it is all about. But
Egoyan is masterful at explaining and relating the
details of his story here in ways that we can begin
to comprehend and appreciate. I'm not saying he makes
it easy, he doesn't. Rather, he makes it possible,
but only if we are attentive and patient.
This could have easily been a film
like "Rabbit-Proof
Fence" where the atrocities that are a part of
another country's history are presented verbatim and
we have to relate it to our own history to comprehend
it. While that film, and others like it, are certainly
effective where storytelling and filmmaking are concerned,
it doesn't personalize it. It doesn't make it hit
home quite as adeptly as Egoyan does here.
By weaving and plotting a story
that spans decades, involves numerous characters and
is as concerned with the present as it is with the
past, Egoyan moves past simple representation into
cinema as personal statement, cinema as exposed soul
and cinema's relevance to our own lives and souls.
Granted, Egoyan does represent the atrocities against
the Armenian people here in scenes of disturbing verisimilitude.
And these scenes make us cringe. We don't want to
see this. We've seen much like it before and we know
it is disgusting, vile and reprehensible. In fact,
scenes of man's atrocities towards man have almost
become tedious and tiresome. But Egoyan wisely moves
past simply just this into terrain that exposes all
of us as vulnerable and troubled, flawed and angelic.
His modern day characters are simply
wonderful and intriguing. David Alpay is certainly
visually stunning to the eye but his sense of desperation,
wounded soul and questioning searcher is displayed
in an acting style here that simply makes everything
in the film come together. It is obvious that he is
playing Egoyan as a character in "Ararat" but he brings
so much to the role that the film simply blossoms
in his hands as much as it does so in Egoyan's. Christopher
Plummer, meanwhile, has his most important role of
his recent career and essays a man whom we easily
believe, even when he seems to be going against character
or acting simply out of a sense of plot exposition.
Egoyan writes a beautiful role for Plummer and he
sails within it. His chemistry with Alpay is palpable.
Listen, I am not a good enough writer
or a deep enough person to adequately describe and
critique what Egoyan has done here. This is a powerful
and intriguing and intellectual film that is as much
about emotion as it is about history. Words cannot
do it justice. You must see it. Egoyan has taken something
deeply personal to him and gently and deftly distilled
it and then embroidered it until it becomes a passionate
and profound film that touches us and opens our eyes.
Film, like history, isn't just about
story. It's about memories, emotions, ideas, personal
feelings, personal histories, viewpoints, and much,
much more. Film, like history, like storytelling,
isn't just about who says it. It's about who hears
it as well. "Ararat" isn't a story to be told. It's
a story to be seen and heard. With "Ararat," Egoyan
turns his cultural history into his-story.
Note:
Also with Eric Bogosian, Elias Koteas,
Bruce Greenwood and Brent Carver. Egoyan, as is his
wont, also cast his wife Arsinee Khanjian in a prominent
role. (Many of the roles are filled by actors of Armenian
or Turkish descent, including the above).
Nominated for several Genie awards,
the Canadian equivalent of the Oscar.
Viewed at a press sneak in Austin
in December 2002.
