Aurora's Sunrise
At only 14 years old, Aurora lost everything during the horror of the Armenian genocide. Two years later, through luck and extraordinary courage, she escaped to New York, where her story became a media sensation. Starring as herself in _Auction of Souls_, an early Hollywood blockbuster, Aurora became the face of one of the largest charity campaigns in American history. With a blend of vivid animation, interviews with Aurora herself, and 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic, _Aurora's Sunrise_ revives a forgotten story of survival.
| Director | Inna Sahakyan |
| Actors | Les Sommets du cinéma d'animation, Les Sommets du cinéma d'animation |
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The tragedies of refugees, increasingly numerous in our ruthless world, are heartbreaking. The feature film Aurora's Sunrise, an animated documentary depicting the fate of a survivor of the Armenian genocide, reminds us that the entire 20th century was marked by these tragedies - and that they continue into the 21st century... At the beginning of the last century, when she was only 14 years old, Aurora Mardiganian's life is turned upside down as the Armenian genocide unfolds. She seeks refuge in New York, where she attracts media attention, becoming somewhat of a celebrity. In 1919, she plays herself in Auction of Souls, one of the first Hollywood blockbusters as well as a propaganda film aimed at alerting the public about the Armenian genocide and raising funds. Aurora eventually realizes that she is being exploited. Through a combination of animation, video testimonies of Aurora herself (filmed towards the end of her life), and sequences from what remains of Auction of Souls - only 18 minutes of film, Aurora's Sunrise recalls the poignant and sadly forgotten story of Aurora. This film, which opened the Sommets du cinéma d'animation in 2023, is powerful and exceptional, rich in lessons, while also highlighting the documentary value of archives.
Marco de Blois
Artistic Director
Sommets du cinéma d’animation
-
Français
1h32
Language: Français
Subtitles: Français -
English
1h32
Language: English
Subtitles: English
- Année 2022
- Pays Armenia
- Durée 92
- Producteur Bars Media, Artbox Laisvalaikio Klubas, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion
- Langue Armenian, English, Turkish, Kurdish, German
- Sous-titres French, English
- Résumé court The true story of how a fourteen-year-old girl escaped the slaughter of the Armenian genocide and embarked upon an odyssey that took her to the heights of Hollywood stardom.
- Mention festival Opening Film · Sommets du cinéma d'animation 2023
- Ordre 1
The tragedies of refugees, increasingly numerous in our ruthless world, are heartbreaking. The feature film Aurora's Sunrise, an animated documentary depicting the fate of a survivor of the Armenian genocide, reminds us that the entire 20th century was marked by these tragedies - and that they continue into the 21st century... At the beginning of the last century, when she was only 14 years old, Aurora Mardiganian's life is turned upside down as the Armenian genocide unfolds. She seeks refuge in New York, where she attracts media attention, becoming somewhat of a celebrity. In 1919, she plays herself in Auction of Souls, one of the first Hollywood blockbusters as well as a propaganda film aimed at alerting the public about the Armenian genocide and raising funds. Aurora eventually realizes that she is being exploited. Through a combination of animation, video testimonies of Aurora herself (filmed towards the end of her life), and sequences from what remains of Auction of Souls - only 18 minutes of film, Aurora's Sunrise recalls the poignant and sadly forgotten story of Aurora. This film, which opened the Sommets du cinéma d'animation in 2023, is powerful and exceptional, rich in lessons, while also highlighting the documentary value of archives.
Marco de Blois
Artistic Director
Sommets du cinéma d’animation
-
Français
Duration: 1h32Language: Français
Subtitles: Français1h32 -
English
Duration: 1h32Language: English
Subtitles: English1h32
- Année 2022
- Pays Armenia
- Durée 92
- Producteur Bars Media, Artbox Laisvalaikio Klubas, Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion
- Langue Armenian, English, Turkish, Kurdish, German
- Sous-titres French, English
- Résumé court The true story of how a fourteen-year-old girl escaped the slaughter of the Armenian genocide and embarked upon an odyssey that took her to the heights of Hollywood stardom.
- Mention festival Opening Film · Sommets du cinéma d'animation 2023
- Ordre 1
