So much has happened since the last post one month ago. Let’s do a quick summary:
Updates Since Last Blog
On July 16th I watched Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948, which was admittedly biased towards my sensibilities. It outlined some of the key moments well and has good visual reference.
I finished reading Armenians of Jerusalem, which has foundationally changed my perception of what this project could be… more on that later before I get derailed.
I started reading The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine (60 pages in so far).
I interviewed Grandma Ruth, which provided no real details of Kevork’s childhood… except for the story of both of them later in life revisiting Jerusalem and going in a taxi to see his original Katamon home. But deciding on the way there that he didn’t want to. That he could not. It would be too hard. That’s such a dramatic moment. Could be a great final scene for the film?
I recorded a conversation with my family about all of Grandpa’s stories to make sure we had the same details.
I talked with some Armenian family who recommended I reach out to some others who went through the same experience, and to interview Uncle Ohan ASAP before anything happens to him.
I indirectly had conversations with an old film professor and an industry friend who gave me some ideas/resources for applying for funding.
I talked casually with my good friend and 2D animator, Coral, about working on the project.
On a side note about the Armenian Genocide project/research, I listened through my great Grandmother’s tapes and interviewed Grandma Ruth about her parents experience there… I’m still not ready to turn this into a full project yet. The 1948/Kevork project feels more pressing given the fact that the children alive then are close to dying now… for a 10 year old in 1948 is 86 years old in 2024…
Reflection on Armenians of Jerusalem
I started this book thinking it could provide some details about my family, The Gazmararian’s, in Jerusalem (after all it did have an entire chapter dedicated to ‘The Gazmararian’s’). Beyond the mention of a great great great great grandfather working at some fashion store near Jaffa gate, there were not too many details about my family specifically. However, as I sat there reading the wonderfully remembered details of the author’s childhood, from the fresh cut tomatoes to the specific names of flowers and trees growing in neighboring yards, the vision of this film fundamentally changed.
Now I could finally SEE a true story set fully in the past. In 1948. Following a 10 year old and his brother(s) as they experience a wondrous summer (maybe vacationing in Ramallah?) before they return to Jerusalem for school and are thrust in the middle of a battleground on their front steps. I could take the setup of two or three brothers (in my family’s case there were three: Kevork 18 years old, Levon 15 years old(?), and Ohan 8 years old), and let them be children. Have a summer. Worry about school. Get into trouble. All while the war brews in the background. Then suddenly it all erupts and their childhood dies as the fighting starts. Bombings. Snipers. Safe zones. The fight for Katamon begins. The family flees to the old city. They hide out in the Armenian Church for several weeks. Nearly starving. Death just outside their doors.
As this vision burst forth in my mind while reading, it suddenly seemed incredibly self centered to make a documentary piece about myself going to visit my Grandpa on his death bed… this doesn’t need to be about me. Or the present. Told correctly, the 1948 story through a child’s eyes would be incredibly powerful and important. It feels like a story that needs to be told. Not just a dark comedy mystery about myself discovering my Grandfather’s past (that’s what this blog is for).
Through reading this and a conversation with a film professor, David Barba, this story seemed best told in a feature length historical narrative–akin to Grave of the Fireflies.
Much needs to be developed to make this usable, but the potential is there.
To Do Next
Reviewing Current Research:
• Review notes on Armenians of Jerusalem Book
• Transcode and writeup Grandma Ruth interview
• Transcode and writeup family conversation
Research Preparation:
• Start list of potential interview subjects outside of Uncle Ohan
• Start list of questions to ask Ohan (general factual ones and the personal ones)
• Continue to watch movies/read books
• Set plan for reaching out to other 1948 survivors to hear their stories
• Reach out to Doris Naaman (a researcher who has already created a virtual documentary of some parts of the Qatamon) https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorit-naaman-67b1a5bb/
• Research Naaman’s project: https://jerusalemwearehere.com/#/
Pre-Production:
• Build team of producers/artists (reach-out to the Egyptian animator I met at Annecy to see if she knows any Palestinian animators/designers)
• Look into grants/funding/residency programs
As I’m writing this, I’m also realizing I don’t want to spend too much time blogging over actually doing the research and pre-production of the film. This blog is meant to help me organize my thoughts and not mention every detail. Just want to remind myself of this. The goal is now to eventually make a feature, but in the immediate sense focus on a short film to develop the style and raise funds. This likely means I will need to write the feature length script first, and adapt a portion into a short. Okay so broadly speaking the goals are:
1. Research enough to ask informed questions of Ohan and other surviver’s before they pass away (potentially in the next few years)
2. Develop these interviews and my other research into a feature length script following children in 1948
3. Pull one component of the feature script to develop into a short film
4. Build a team around this short film. Don’t plan for the feature yet. Don’t want to let it get in the way. One small step at a time!