Memories of a Massacre ëAraratí Recollects Armenian Genocide Through Modern Situations by Ky N. Nguyen When Adolf Hitler ordered the invasion of Poland, he explained, ìAfter all, who today remembers the extermination of the Armenians?î Today, the Turkish government still denies the occurrence of the Armenian genocide during World War I, when 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman army, primarily during a forced march to modern-day Syria. Armenian-Canadian director Atom Egoyan (ìThe Sweet Hereafter,î ìFeliciaís Journey,î ìExoticaî) recognizes the impossibility of making a definitive statement about the Armenian genocide. Instead, ìAraratî is an ambitious attempt to place the memories of the genocide within the context of a complex set of modern characters and situations. Exquisitely shot and well-acted, the filmís formalism is rigorous but ultimately rewarding. The intricate script uses the conceit of a film-within-a-film to reveal the inherent limitations of narrative in transmitting history. ìAraratî also tangles with a host of eternally difficult issues common in Egoyanís workóincluding art and reality, denial versus truth, identity, family dynamics, deliverance and resolution. In todayís Toronto, Armenian-Canadian Ani (ArsinÈe Khanjian, Egoyanís wife and frequent collaborator) is an art historian whoís an expert on Arshile Gorky, a survivor of the genocide. Aniís son Raffi (newcomer David Alpay), whose late father was a freedom fighter, is having an affair with his stepsister Celia (Marie-JosÈe Croze from ìMaelstr^mî). Years later, Celia still blames Ani for the death of her own father. After listening to Aniís lecture on Gorky, director Edward (Charles Aznavour) and screenwriter Rouben (Eric Bogosian) enlist her as a consultant for their movie about the Armenian genocide (also titled ìAraratî). Their film depicts the 1915 siege of Vanówhere Gorky grew upóbased on the memoir of American missionary Clarence Ussher, played by Martin (Bruce Greenwood). Struggling part-Turkish actor Ali (Elias Koteas) gets a big break with the role of Jevdet Bey, the Turkish officer in charge at Van. Aliís live-in partner, Philip (Brent Carver), is a guard at the museum where Gorkyís ìThe Artist and His Motherî hangs and where Ani lectures. Ali and Philipís relationship is an unspoken but palpable disappointment for Philipís father David (Christopher Plummer), an airport customs officer on the verge of retirement. Davidís final interrogation occurs when Raffi returns from a trip to Turkey with suspicious cans of film. Raffi insists that they cannot be opened because the light will ruin the exposed film. The resulting standoff provides a framework for Raffi to tell his story, which depicts his understanding of the Armenian genocide as well as his personal history. ìAraratî (English, Armenian and French with subtitles; 116 min.) is now playing. Crime of Father Amaro ìEl Crimen del Padre Amaroî is the biggest Mexican box-office hit of all time, besting the records set by ìY Tu Mam· TambiÈnî and ìAmores Perrosîóthe previous smashes featuring hot young actor Gael GarcÌa Bernal. Director Carlos Carrera (ìUnder a Spellî) creates an absorbing work examining the interplay of authority, aspirations and corruption in the Catholic Church in modern-day Mexico. GarcÌa Bernal plays Father Amaro, a newly ordained priest whoís a favorite of the bishop. Destined to eventually study in Rome, the ambitious Amaro is assigned to Los Reyes, Mexico, to work with the experienced Father Benito (Sancho Gracia). Beautiful 16-year-old Amelia (Ana Claudia TalancÛn) extends her devotion to the Church onto Amaro, producing a temptation testing his vow of celibacy. Amaro faces other challenges in his small parish, such as published allegations that priests are laundering money for drug lords and supporting guerrillas, all of which creates quite a scandal. To solve the problem, the pompous bishop trains Amaro to be a Machiavellian player, wielding power in any case where the ends justify the means. Amaro soon finds it easy to navigate the conflicting demands between his personal and professional desires. The distinguished performances of the cast, particularly the three principals, lend believability to the melodramatic scenarios that ensue. Cinematographer Guillermo Granilloís murky images also evoke an understated, tense atmosphere. ìEl Crimen del Padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro)î (Spanish with subtitles; 118 min.) is now playing. Audrey Tautou Pre-ëAmÈlieí Before the blockbuster success of ìAmÈlie,î the gamine French actress Audrey Tautou starred in the light comedy ìGod Is Great, Iím Notîówhich was shelved for two years due to the original producerís bankruptcy. The modestly charming filmís appeal rests largely on Tautouís charisma. That considerable asset overcomes the movieís distractingly jarring visual style and occasionally awkward handling of its religious theme. Twenty-year-old occasional model MichËle (Tautou), a child of a broken home, feels alienated from her sulky mother (Catherine Jacob), whoís mired in a lackluster second marriage. MichËle has just left her boyfriend and undergone an abortion. In search of meaning and stability in her life, she tries Buddhism before settling on Judaism. She becomes involved with 32-year-old FranÁois (...douard Baer), a steady Jewish veterinarian who doesnít practice his faith. That creates conflict as MichËle becomes obsessed with the religion, even studying Hebrew. MichËleís best friend Valerie (Julie Depardieu), a psychoanalyst in training, is ultimately powerless to advise the flighty heroine. Valerieís wedding, however, does eventually provide spiritual inspiration for MichËle. The lesson learned is that life continues, but it is complicated and messy along the way. ìGod Is Great, Iím Not (Dieu Est Grand, Je Suis Toute Petite)î (French with subtitles; 102 min.) is the opening night film of the Washington Jewish Film Festival. It plays at the DC Jewish Community Center on Thu., Dec. 5 at 6:45 p.m. (followed by a wine reception) and Fri., Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. A Star Is Born ìEsther Kahnî is an engrossing, deliberately paced study of the birth of a talented thespian in late 19th-century London. Adapting the film from Arthur Symonsís short story, director Arnaud Desplechin (ìMy Sex Life ... or How I Got Into an Argumentî) presents the methodical process from the unique perspective of the protagonist. Esther (Summer Phoenix) is the emotionally reticent black sheep of her immigrant Jewish family, which lives crammed in their sweatshop. Life appears to be gritty, tough and largely depressing. When she views her first play, Esther instantly discovers her calling in life is to become an actressóa career she instinctively pursues with confidence. In the theater, Estherís life finally begins. She picks up a couple of mentors: teacher Nathan Quellen (Ian Holm) and critic Philippe Haygard (Fabrice Desplechin), who becomes her first lover. That relationship eventually leads to the overload of Estherís previously repressed emotions. A film about acting relies heavily upon its performers. Here, the passive Phoenix is the dramatic and emotional centerpiece. Her passive performance is an interesting choice. FranÁois Truffautís ìThe Wild Childî inspired Desplechin when he envisioned the isolated Estherís development into a mature woman. ìEsther Kahnî is an elegantly realized period piece that avoids the glossy phoniness that often plagues the genre. Thatís a credit to Jon Hensonís studious production design and Eric Gautierís brilliant cinematography. ìEsther Kahnî (English; 142 min.) plays during the Washington Jewish Film Festival at the DC Jewish Community Center on Tue., Dec. 10 at 8:15 p.m., and Thu., Dec. 12 at 1 p.m. Repertory Notes The Washington Jewish Film Festival runs Dec. 5 to 15 with 37 features, documentaries and shorts from 16 countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Latvia, The Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine and United States. Most films screen at the DC Jewish Community Centerís Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater ((202) 777-3249), http://wjff.org). From Dec. 7 to 29, the National Gallery of Art showcases nine of the 11 completed works of Ukrainian director Alexander Dovzhenko (ìEarthî). Historian Jay Leyda wrote, ìImages and symbols Ö can no more be fully translated into concrete meanings than the imagery, rhythm, and color of poetry.î The brief but significant career of French filmmaker Jean Vigo (ìLíAtalante,î ìZÈro de Conduiteî), a large influence on the surrealists and the French new wave, is reviewed on Dec. 8 ((202) 842-6799, http://nga.gov/programs/film.htm). The Freer Gallery of Art presents new films from three leading directors: Abbas Kiarostamiís ìABC Africaî (Iran, Dec. 6), ìSeijun Suzukiís ìPistol Operaî (Japan, Dec. 7), and Takashe Miikeís ìThe Happiness of the Katakurisî (Japan, Dec. 15) ((202) 357-2700, http://www.asia.si.edu/programs/film.htm). Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.