Nagorno-Karabakh: a long-forgotten destiny
Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan, is the scene of a forgotten conflict. Since its declaration of independence in 1991, the territory has been the scene of multiple clashes in a persistent struggle for recognition and control. In September 2023, the recapture of the Armenian enclave by Azerbaijan after a lightning offensive led to the exodus of more than 100,000 refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh to Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, putting an abrupt end to their dreams of independence.
Vicken Cheterian
Journalist and academic specializing in armed conflicts
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Sevinj Samadzade
PhD at Ghent University, activist with the Feminist Peace Collective
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Shoghakat Vardanyan
(by videoconference) Author, director and producer of "1489"
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French, english
1489
Nagorno-Karabakh has been marked by the ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Armenians, in the wake of the on-going war with Azerbaijan since Armenia’s declaration of independence in 1991. Many families have been torn apart by the war, and military service is compulsory for young men. In September 2020, the conflict suddenly flared up again and Soghomon was mobilised. On the seventh day, he was reported missing. His sister, Shoghakat, decides to film herself and her parents’ search as closely as possible and to capture their emotions. A personal film that reminds us that beyond conflicts and military rolls, there are people of flesh and blood.
Awarded Best Film in International Competition at the IDFA.
Warning: This film contains images likely to shock, in particular the remains of human bodies.
Armen Papyan
