GLENDALE — A documentary called “Daughter of the Crying Man” screened on Tuesday, June 30, at the Armenian Arts. The film’s producers, Nyree Abrahamian and Jeremy Dalmas, had a question-and-answer session with Prof. Shushan Karapetian after the screening.
The two also host the podcast “Country of Dust.”
The documentary film was originally produced for the podcast without any visuals. But when Nyree Abrahamian found many videos of her father’s trips to Musa Dagh, Turkey, she and her partners, Jeremy Dalmas and Gohar Khachatryan, decided to compile the footage into a film. Still, the film contains many scenes without photos or images to avoid forcing irrelevant ones.
The film starts in 2002 in Toronto with a dark screen and narration by Abrahamian. She tells a story about how the family gathered to watch a video of a friend’s visit to Musa Dagh. She beautifully describes the excitement and ambiance of the family warmth in the room.
Abrahamian includes a short history of the Armenian community of Musa Dagh. They left in 1915 and returned after World War I. The region was then under French control, and in 1939, they transferred control to Turkey. The Armenians felt vulnerable, and another exodus took place. Her grandparents also left Musa Dagh in 1939 and went to Syria, Lebanon and eventually Canada. Her grandfather’s sister, Zaruhi, stayed behind. One uncle traveled to Musa Dagh and the nearby Armenian village and found Zaruhi. There are still some Armenians in that region, specifically in the village of Vakifli.
Currently, Nyree Abrahamian lives in Armenia. She is a poet and the creator and producer of the “Country of Dust” podcast. She also cofounded the Tumanyan International Storytelling Festival. She said, “I was anxious when the film came out. I am proud of what we made, but I feel exposed.” She continued, “What if somebody listens to the story and holds judgment against my family and me. I felt a responsibility to tell the story that feels true to everyone in my family.”
