LOS ANGELES — Lilit Pilikian’s parents would have never met, and a new family and generation would have never formed, had her ancestors not been targeted and forced to flee their homeland during the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century.
Pilikian came to the grim realization that the systematic killings of her people is a reason why she is alive today, and embarked on a storytelling journey that has led to “100 Years from Home,” a documentary that makes its broadcast premiere on PBS SoCal on Tuesday, September 1 at 8:30 p.m. PT.
“100 Years from Home” is a vivid portrait of an American woman grappling with questions about cultural identity, intergenerational trauma, family, survival, and finding her place in her community and the world as an Armenian.
The film was nominated for “Best Documentary” at the 2019 Arpa International Film Festival in Hollywood, Calif. where it premiered to a sold-out screening.
The picture follows Pilikian’s journey as she searches for her great-grandparents’ house in modern-day Turkey in the location of which they were forced to abandon over a century ago during the Armenian Genocide, which killed over 1.5 million Armenians during and after World War I.
The home’s blueprint was passed down from generation-to-generation until finally ending up in the hands of Pilikian. On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Genocide on April 24, 2015, Pilikian embarked on an emotional journey to Armenia and Turkey in search of the house with her filmmaker husband, Jared White.