Ararat (2002)

56% of critics liked it
(75 reviews)
69% of users liked it
(4,424 ratings)

Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan explores his Armenian heritage, and how the country's tragic history has touched several generations of the nation's expatriates, in this ambitious drama. Edward Saroyan (Charles Aznavour), a veteran filmmaker of Armenian descent, is in Toronto shooting a film about… More Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan explores his Armenian heritage, and how the country's tragic history has touched several generations of the nation's expatriates, in this ambitious drama. Edward Saroyan (Charles Aznavour), a veteran filmmaker of Armenian descent, is in Toronto shooting a film about the Siege of Van, in which invading Ottoman armies forced the evacuation of Armenian communities in 1915, leading to the genocide of over a million Armenian people at the hands of Turkish troops. Twenty-one-year-old Raffi (David Alpay) has been sent to Turkey to shoot background footage for the film; Raffi's mother Ani (Arsinee Khanjian), an author and historian, is also involved in the project as a consultant. Lately Raffi and Ani have been at odds; Raffi has been dating Celia (Marie-Josee Croze), Ani's stepdaughter, who is convinced that Ani is somehow responsible for the death of her father. Ani's first husband, who was Raffi's father, is also dead, after taking part in an assassination attempt on a Turkish political leader. As Raffi attempts to re-enter Canada with cans of exposed film, he's detained by David (Christopher Plummer), a suspicious customs official who has his own tenuous link to Saroyan's film -- David is struggling to come to terms with the gay lifestyle of his son Philip (Brent Carver), whose lover Ali (Elias Koteas) is playing the villain in the picture. Ararat also features Eric Bogosian and Bruce Greenwood. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 6 min.
Directed By: Atom Egoyan
Written By: Atom Egoyan
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Nov 15, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Jul 22, 2003
Studio: Miramax Films

Critic Reviews

Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
Egoyan's movie is too complicated to sustain involvement, and, if you'll excuse a little critical heresy, too intellectually ambitious.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
The work of an artist tormented by his heritage, using his storytelling ability to honor the many faceless victims.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
In a strange way, Egoyan has done too much. He's worked too hard on this movie.
Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News
Given the convoluted approach -- and tongue-tied delivery -- we're left to conclude that Egoyan's emotions got the better of him this time.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Has the obsessiveness and audacity of a film that had to be made or its filmmaker would have combusted.
Susan Stark, Detroit News
Only the most patient, sensitive and sensible of viewers will cut through the film's affectations and indulgences to come to the point.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A disappointingly convoluted attempt to present the 1915 Armenian genocide through an intergenerational family melodrama.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Verges on the brilliant and is a much more interesting work than Egoyan's admirable but over-praised The Sweet Hereafter.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
[Egoyan is] so careful telling the story of the genocide that much of the film feels cold and didactic, like watching a slide show in a lecture hall.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
One of Egoyan's great pics that in time will grow in stature.
Betty Jo Tucker, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Although not an easy film to follow, I found 'Ararat' worthy of close attention.
Ian Waldron-Mantgani, UK Critic
The movie's flaws ring of underconfidence, as if Egoyan intellectualised its parts until he ended up draining them of power.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
El resultado es muy superior a lo que el cine comercial suele hacer cuando intenta reconstruir un hecho histórico; pero al mismo tiempo luce bastante menos logrado que la obra anterior de Egoyan.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Eduardo C

It would have been simple enough to make a straightforward film about the Armenian genocide (the first genocide of the 20th century and the original holocaust). What Atom Egoyan has done here is make a film that is permeated with a primal rage at the apathy and the ignorance about the… More
It would have been simple enough to make a straightforward film about the Armenian genocide (the first genocide of the 20th century and the original holocaust). What Atom Egoyan has done here is make a film that is permeated with a primal rage at the apathy and the ignorance about the genocide today. Even this was not enough for him, however, the film shows multiple points of view within the Armenian community (about what to do with what has happened) and the Turkish (about what, if anything, did happen) one as well. There are scenes of such heartbreaking, illusrative brilliance (the film-within-a-film reenactment of the genocide features U.S. actors in prominent roles, a U.S. volunteer hospital as the main setting, and the delivery of the KEY line "Go to the embassy...tell them AMERICAN LIVES...are in danger" which perfectly illustrates Egoyan's anger not just at what happened, but how little it has meant because of who it happened to), that pose such challenging questions ("Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Aemrnians?", a quote often attributed to Hitler, is used here in a particularly poignant scene between an Armenian gaffer and a Turkish actor, both working in the film-within-a-film) that the film's messy, uneven, disjointed structure can be forgiven. It is not a perfect film, definitely not a flawless one, but when faced with such passion, such rage and such talent it is impossible to end up with anything other than a work of art. This is the kind of film that can be discussed for hours and hours on end.

Cast

            David Alpay as Raffi

            Charles Aznavour as Edward Saroyan

            Eric Bogosian as Rouben

            Brent Carver as Philip

            Marie-Josée Croze as Celia

            Bruce Greenwood as Martin/Clarence Ussher

            Arsinée Khanjian as Ani

            Elias Koteas as Ali/Jevdet Bey

            Christopher Plummer as David

            Simon Abkarian as Arshile Gorky

            Christie MacFadyen as Janet

            Susan Raymond as German Woman

            Rose Sarkisyan as Translator

            Gina Wilkinson as Art Teacher

            Max Morrow as Tony

            Jean Yoon as Third Assistent Director

            Raoul Bhaneja as Photographer

            Roberta Angelica as Armenian Bride

            Lousnak as Shushan Gorky

            Erica Ehm as Journalist

            Lousnak Abdalian as Gorky's Mother

            Garen Boyajian as Young Gorky

            Setta Keshishian as Wailing Mother

            Shant Srabian as Doctor 1

            Dawn Roach as Customs Officer

            Haig Sarkissian as Sevan

            Arshile Egoyan as Child At Gallery

            Kevork Arslanian as Armenian Fighter

            Vic Keshishian as Armenian Fighter

            Arthur Hagopian as Armenian Fighter

            George Kharlakian as Armenian Fighter

            Shant Kabriellan as Armenian Fighter

            Varazh Stephen as Doctor 2

            Samir Alnadi as Turkish Officer

            Carlo Essagian as Turkish Soldier

            Chris Gillett as Celia's Father

            Shahan Bulat-Matossian as Wounded Teen Patient

            Manuel Ishkhanian as Teen Patient's Brother

            Lorna Noura Kevorkian as Armenian Bride

            Mandyf Nissani as Armenian Bride

            Manal Elmasri as Armenian Bride

            Andrea Loren as Armenian Bride

            Araxie Keshishian as Armenian Bride

            Linda Gizirian as Rape Victim

            Nicole Anoush Strang as Girl Under Cart
See full cast

Ararat (2002)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Eduardo C

Cast

Photos