In the century since the 1915-1918 genocide of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire (forerunner of modern Turkey), there have not been loads of films focusing on the subject. Part of the problem has been due to efforts by the Turkish government to rewrite the history of this tragic occurrence, insisting that no genocide ever took place. Indeed, attempts to discuss the event in contemporary Turkey are systematically shut down by authorities, and their lobbying has extended to foreign capitals—most notably to Washington, D.C., where the U.S. government still refuses to use the word "genocide" in reference to what occurred. David Lee George's documentary looks at the true story behind the Armenian genocide while also suggesting that the denial of vast human rights catastrophes will ensure that such massacres continue to take place in the future. In terms of detailing the long-forgotten history of the slaughter of the Armenian people, Architects of Denial admirably succeeds, but its history-repeating-itself assessment of post-World War II genocides is somewhat shakier, and the fleeting input by personalities such as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and Oscar-winner George Clooney adds star wattage but not much illumination. Recommended, overall. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Architects of Denial
(2017) 95 min. DVD: $24.95. Film Movement (avail. from most distributors). Closed captioned. Volume 33, Issue 2
Architects of Denial
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