LOS ANGELES — On December 9, at 7:00 p.m. PST, coinciding with the World Day of Genocide Commemoration and Prevention December 12, at 4:00 PST and 8:00 PST, PBS SoCal and KCET will show the documentary “The Hidden Map.”
“The Hidden Map” takes viewers beneath the surface of modern-day Turkey where the forbidden Armenian past has been awaiting discovery for more than a century. The story comes to life as an American-Armenian granddaughter of genocide survivors ventures to their lost ancestral homeland in search of long-buried truths. A chance encounter with a Scottish explorer leads to a joint odyssey unearthing sacred relics, silenced voices, daring resilience, and the hidden map. It is a story of discovery, heartbreak, and hope that belongs to all of humanity. “This documentary will open your eyes and touch your heart. It is truly an honor to bring ‘The Hidden Map’ to PBS SoCal and KCET viewers,” said PBS SoCal/KCET Pledge Producer Andy Trimlett. The broadcasts will include a lively in-studio conversation with filmmaker Ani Hovannisian and special messages from artist Serj Tankian, Good Day LA anchor Araksya Karapetyan, and historian Richard Hovannisian. Andy Trimlett and guest-host Carla Garapedian will lead the way. Viewers who pledge their support to PBS will receive unique gifts made exclusively for this film, including a DVD, hand-crocheted dolls made by women in Armenia and a set of 12 postcards from “The Hidden Map.”
While “The Hidden Map” has earned several international film festival awards and was considered for three 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking, most important for Hovannisian is that the stories told in the film resonate for generations to come and contribute to the reservoir of lasting testimony. “For years, I worked day and night creating this documentary, taking in every second of hundreds of hours of footage and interviews. I was determined to bring these voices and stories to life. My mother, Dr. Vartiter Kotcholosian Hovannisian, was by my side throughout, saying Ani, the world has to see this. After a lifetime of giving, Mama left our earthly world on Thanksgiving Day, but I know she will be beaming as she watches The Hidden Map with us.”
This film is dedicated to Vartiter Kotcholosian Hovannisian.
These PBS SoCal/KCET broadcasts are supported by:
