1 June 2018

Inherited trauma and feelings of injustice used to be the main message in any article and film relating to the Armenian Genocide. To change that, in 2017, the Union of Armenians of Ukraine (UAU), one of AGBU Europe’s partner organization, launched a fundamentally new message to the world.

“Thank you for a chance to grow again” is a slogan of the campaign which expresses the gratefulness of Armenians to the countries and nations which sheltered them after the genocide of 1915.

The social video was presented at the 71st annual Cannes Film Festival held from 8 to 19 May 2018. It was screened in the out-of-competition programme “Cannes Short Film Corner” in the Palais des Festivals. The video was later presented in the Ukrainian cinema market pavilion in Cannes.

This new perception of the descendants of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide suggested by the video was highly rated by international mass media, particularly ones representing Iran, France and Italy.

The video produced by directors Andranik Berberyan and Andrew Ludogoscha has received several awards at Global India International Film Festival in India, Molodiya Festival in Ukraine, Klik Amsterdam Animation Festival in the Netherlands, Best seconds Festival in Switzerland. It will be also presented at the Beijing International Film Festival.

On the occasion of the video presentation in Cannes, the representatives of the Union of Armenians of Ukraine took the opportunity to meet with the Armenian communities of Nice and Marseille.

During the meeting with Patrick Malakian, Chairman of AGBU Marseille Chapter, the Union of Armenians of Ukraine activities were presented along with the “Thank you for a chance to grow again. Armenians” social video. The prospective further cooperation between the UAU and the Armenian communities of France was discussed and will be shortly followed-up.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJWXdJljo4U