| "DESTINY"
Script
is written based on real facts and events happened
in 1989-1991 in Nagorno-Karabakh. Events present
the beginning of Karabakh movement. Filmmakers
dedicated film to blessed memory of fallen fighters
for self-determination of
Nagornî-Karaback to let them be remembered
forever. Also the film is dedicated to honour
the memory of all innocent victims killed in Sumgait,
Baku, and Nagorno-Karaback as well as
hundreds thousands refugees fallen a pray to war.
With the emergence of Mikhail Gorbachev at the
helm of failing empire, hopes of democratization
were born both internally in the Soviet Union
and in the West. Under those aspirations and the
whims of “glasnost”, new political
movements emerged in different parts of the Soviet
Union. The Armenian Committee of the Karabakh
movement started its activities in February 20,
1988, demanding equal treatment of minorities
in the territory
of the Azerbaijan SSR. In response, organized
mobs started their pillage in Sumgait (Azerbaijan)
on February 26, 1988. The chaos continued for
three days without Moscow's involvement. The Sumgait
Pogroms produced 32 deaths, over 200 injured and
18, 000 Armenian civilian refugees. Only then,
Soviet Army showed up to restore order.
On August 27, 1989, first non-communist, Levon
Ter-Petrosian was elected as deputy of the Supreme
Soviet of the Armenian SSR, gaining official platform
for Karabach movement. Mobs answered from 13th
through the 20th of January 1990, this time in
the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, by unleashing
horror,
killing over 200, injuring over 1000 and creating
additional 210, 000 Armenian civilian refugees.
On August 4, 1990 Levon Ter-Petrosian became Chairman
of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Armenia.
Polite-Burro's response was, to resort to force.
Under the supervision of Soviet Military, on April
30 th of 1991, the Azeri forces started the operation
“Koltzo.” The objective was cleansing
Nagorno-Karabakh of its historical
Armenian population.
Events launch in Afghanistan where
Gor serves in the Soviet Army in 1985. Afghans
trap soviet troop. Afghans commandos kill almost
all Russian soldiers. Only Gor and his Russian
friend called Eugenie survive. However, while
Gor attempts to save Eugenie's life he jeopardizes
his own life and is taken prisoner. By a fluke
he escapes. After all these events Gor decides
to resign army. He is going to devote himself
to family.
Years pass. This is the eve of Soviet Union collapse
in 1989-1990. Gor lives in his native village
in Karabakh. He creates family; he has one son
and his wife is expecting second one. Nothing
remains the hell, which has happened in Afghanistan.
Gor is engaged in farming. Villagers concern about
their future and apply to Gor for help. They believe
that Gor as professional can prevent forced deportation.
However, Gor refers to Soviet command as a guarantee
of their inviolability and personal immunity.
Moreover, Gor is sure that any unlawful attempts
from Armenian side can provoke Azerbaijanis and
conflict will be escalated.
However, Gor pays high price for such blind trust
for Soviet authority. Gor is arrested in the framework
of company by exposure of hidden Armenian “bandits”.
In the framework of so-called “Koltzo”
(“Ring”) operation carried out by
Azerbaijanis under the Soviet Army shelter. Gor's
village is seized and razed to the ground. Many
Armenians including Gor's son are killed. This
operation is led by Eugenie whose life Gor saved
in Afghanistan. Gor is arrested and put behind
bars. Gor escapes and then Gor and Eugenie launch
war against cruel conqueror.
That time professional journalist called Anastasia
is sent to business trip to Karabakh. She is from
Moscow and she is mass media representative in
Karabakh. She presents influential TV State Company.
She should carry out an editors' task: to draw
up report about so-called Armenian extremists
committed mass crimes in the region.
The order is made from Kremlin so this report
is biased beforehand. However, Anastasia is not
confused because it is widespread practice in
Soviet mass media. Moreover, the methods employed
for obtaining of any information are well known:
montage and cutting of true, objective, namely
useless information. Anastasia is nice woman;
she is about 30, she is ambitious, self-confident,
and aiming high. According to her estimations,
it will take few days to obtain necessary information.
She is in a hurry because in case of successful
implementation of this task she will be sent in
one of European countries. Under Soviet circumstances
it means huge promotion. Collided with awful reality
Anastasia decided to make true report about Karabakh
conflict. She presents human tragedy in the face
of Gor's private misfortune jeopardizing her own
career.
Historical
background
Events develop in the eve of Soviet Union collapse.
The movement of self-determination of Karabakh
was launched in 1988 and aimed at equal treatment
to all national minorities in Azerbaijani SSR
and preservation of their rights and freedom.
Armenians insisted on independence of Nagornî-Karaback
right up to its withdrawn from Azerbaijani SSR
(based on principle of
self-determination as one of the major principle
of international law) while Azerbaijani's side
stuck on principle of state's indivisibility.
The movement strengthened, became stronger although
it was in the form of peaceful demonstrations
both in Stepanakert (Karabakh's capital city)
and Yerevan. However, Azerbaijan's answer was
mass massacre of Armenians in Sumgait (1989) and
Baku (1990). Barbarities committed by mob were
unrestricted by officials neither local nor state's.
The most shocking example is mass massacre in
Sumgait.
Mass murder and pogroms of Armenians lasted three
days without any intervention of local police
and authorities while no response from Moscow
had been heard. First disorders started in the
region and first wave of refugees swept on Armenia
whose economics has already destroyed by severe
earthquake in 1988. Events snowballed. Azerbaijanis
forced Armenians to leave Karabakh. Such barefaced
threats gave rise to justified concern among Armenian
population in Karabakh. After bloody events in
Baku and Sumgait Karabakh movement turned into
Armenian liberation movement. Former Soviet authority
at the head of Politå-Burro and Michael
Gorbachev delegated authority to Azerbaijanis'
officials in order to suppress and crush Karabakh
movement. Karabach Committee was arrested that
stirred up mass protest actions both in Armenia
and Nagorni Karaback. Moreover, Soviet mass media
“got into gear” and took an active
part in undeclared war against Armenian population
of Nagorni Karaback.
A stream of barefaced and egregious lie fell from
Soviet newspaper and State influential TV channels
aimed at advisedly slur and discredit Armenians
and Armenian movement in world community's opinion.
Azerbaijani emergency forces and Russian troops
supported them organized joint campaign called
“Koltzo” (“Ring”) in Karabach
villages. The matter was that Soviet troops surrounded
target village and kept it while Azerbaijanis'
forces were killing unarmed Armenian habitants.
Moreover, Soviet officers were ordered not to
intervene into Azerbaijanis' activity. Thus, under
such lawless circumstances the core events develop.
Afterward
1991 the Berlin Wall came down striking the first
blow to Soviet Empire. The flight from political
occupation touched every capital in Eastern Europe
and Soviet Republics. On December 25, 1991 Soviet
Union was no more. However, not all the change
of guard and struggle for self-determination was
peaceful. From Sumgait to the cease-fire on May
15, 1994, Azeri aggression caused over 30, 000
dead and over 1, 000, 000 refugees. Lasting peace
is still illusive.
Exclusive
producer - Haig S. Bagerdjian
Producer - Kolya (Nikolay) Khachaturov
Producer - Gor Vardanyan
Director - Vahe Khachatryan
Script is written by Gor Vardanyan and Marine
Sargsyan
Key Roles Performers Gor Vardanyan, Yevgeni Karnash,
Anri Vardanyan, Narine Sultanyan, Svetlana Zueva.
PHOTOGALLERY
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