Film:
The friendship between two children, one Armenian and the other Kurdish, is disrupted by the state’s oppression of Armenians. Will Gaspar be able to uncover what he seeks upon returning to his village in search of childhood memories, 40 years after immigrating to the USA?
Runtime: 19:54
Category: Short Fiction
DIRECTOR: ILHAM BAKIR
Born in 1968, İlham Bakir studied cinema, literature, and drama. He has worked on stories, scripts, and theater plays. His short stories have been published in various literary magazines and anthologies. He continues to write about cinema and art criticism for newspapers and magazines. He has directed three documentary films and three short films. Currently, he teaches scriptwriting in Diyarbakır for the Middle East Cinema Academy Association.
FILMOGRAPHY
- Verses to the Body
- 54’ – 2003 – Producer
- Bread Does Not Hold Dirt
- 30’ – 2007 – Producer
- We Have Sheep, Lambs, and to Be Cut
- 30’ – 2007 – Producer
- Trace
- 33’ – 2001 – Producer
- Without Trees and Shadows
- 17’ – 2009 – Producer
- On Butterfly’s Wing
- 23’ – 2020 – Director/Producer
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
I spent my childhood in a Kurdish city that was once populated by Armenians, who no longer live there. It is said that Armenians buried their valuables before their expulsion, leading to the destruction of their homes by those in search of gold. Gaspar returns to his village forty years after leaving for America as a child. In the meantime, his childhood friend Haydar has settled in Gaspar’s house. This film explores the conflict between the concepts of friendship and ownership, highlighting the efforts of the village headman, who represents the state, to drive a wedge between the two friends. While the mukhtar seeks treasure, the two friends long for their childhood memories. In the end, childhood and friendship prevail, while the headman and evil are the losers.
The Wealth Tax legislation, imposed on Armenians, Greeks, and Jews living in Turkey in 1942, facilitated the complete transfer of wealth from these minority groups to the Turkish state. The state seized properties and valuables from those who could not afford to pay the exorbitantly high taxes. Approximately 2,000 individuals who were too poor to pay were sent to work battalions in Aşkale. Overwhelmed physically and mentally by the harsh conditions in these battalions, 21 people lost their lives. Ultimately, thousands of Armenians, Greeks, and Jews who lost all their assets and valuables immigrated to other countries due to xenophobia. This movie is dedicated to their memory.
