ISTANBUL (Hetq)–A 32 minute short film entitled “Kertenkel” (Lizard) based on an article of the same name written by slain Agos editor Hrant Dink has been filmed in Turkey by Ozgur Arik, a documentary film-maker who holds many national and international awards.
“Being inspired by the painful events Armenia’s went through and with the words of Dink, this film aims to draw attention to the pain people are experiencing throughout the world," said Arik. "Unfortunately, we fight to live in an environment in which people are moving away from each other and becoming enemies."
The film depicts the end of World War I. A young Armenian person, who survived the painful events of 1915, shelters in a village in the slopes of Mount Sipan in occupied Western Armenia. He does not play on the streets like the other young people. He lives in the shed of a villager named Ismail and tells people nothing except that his name is Abdullah. One day when he is in the toilet, other children see he is uncircumcised, and start throwing stones at him. With fear, Abdullah shelters in the shed and circumcises himself with a sharp tool and then throws the bloody piece of skin at the people.
Director Arik states that he intentionally shot a short film and that its message was very short and certain. He added the film had a mission in addition to commemorating Dink. “With this film, rather than agitate, we try to highlight once again that everyone who shares this land is a brother," he said.
Although the film cannot find a movie theater that will screen it, there are plans to show it to audiences this year in many national and international film festivals, including the International Istanbul Film Festival. One of the most important planned destinations for the film is the International Golden Apricot Film Festival to be organized in Armenian capital, Yerevan in July.