Aris Movsesyan: ‘The Smile Connects All the Things I Have Ever Done”

I tried writing a script, which I could best describe as paraphrasing Bertolucci’s “Nove Cento.” Twentieth century through three generations of Armenians. The first part of the movie was supposed to be about the genocide, while the second and third part would be about some of the life changing events, inspired by the lives of my grandfather, my father and myself. As a synopsis everything seemed to work. I believed it would be the best thing I will ever do in my entire life, but after writing the first part, after so many strong emotions, it was impossible to write anything else. It just did not make sense. That was the first time I realized how the genocide, along with being pure horror and evil, is a dark shadow following each Armenian to this day. Genocide is not over the day it is physically finished. It is a crime which follows and burdens a whole nation through generations. Maybe, when I retire, I will build up the courage and strength to put all this into words in form of a novel.

Your grandfather Yeznik Movsesyan’s story – how he escaped from Ottoman military service and became a coffee-maker in Pozarevac, is quite interesting. Don’t you think it is a great stuff for a literature and film? Please tell us about him and your Armenian family.

My grandfather is my life’s inspiration. What could possibly be so difficult for me, considering what he went through in his lifetime? This realization gives me strength. Whenever I think something is impossible, I remember that Yeznik, as a small boy, walked all the way from Armenia to Serbia. If he could have such a spark and will to live, then who am I to just give up when life gets hard? One very interesting story is the one of how my grandparents met: My grandmother, Anna Bagdasaryan, lived in Bulgaria. My grandfather was in Serbia. They wrote to each other all the time. Letters and photos are what connected them. I like to say that this was Facebook before Facebook. When they finally met in person, they stayed together till the end of their lives.

You are also involved in politics, being a member of the Nova Party since 2014. What do you think, why the Serbian government has not recognized the Armenian genocide so far, having so similar fate with the Armenians?

Nova Party has been proposing the adoption of the resolution on the recognition and condemnation of the genocide committed in 1915-1922, in 2015 in the Parliament of Serbia for five years. I consider it to be a political act, and will persevere until the resolution is officially acknowledged. The reason why it still did not happen is also political. Serbia is currently a country with a series of problems. It is like a puzzle which has not been assembled correctly. That is why I believe that eventually everything will fall in its rightful place and that the resolution, which I wrote with help of my friends, will finally be adopted. We Armenians are patient people, are we not? Stubborn as well. The lack of official recognition does not mean that the people of Serbia do not understand what happened in Armenia at the beginning of 20th century. It is upon me to make sure that the state acknowledges it official.

What are your current projects? How else can you surprise us?

The political situation in Serbia is very difficult. I have already gone through such periods when art must be put aside until much more pressing matters are handled. Let then the readers in Armenia be the first ones to find out: I have written a novel. I am waiting for things to calm down, so I can put finishing touches on the novel and then finally let it see the light of day. My wish is for it to be translated in Armenian so we can meet again and discuss if there is something Armenian in my way of writing. Of course, with a smile. How else!?