Gyumri

Director: Jana Ševčíková
Year/Length: 2008 / 68 min
Country: Armenia, Czech Republic
Friday, November 13: 8:00 pm
U.S. Premiere
Filmmaker in person
On December 7, 1988, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck northern Armenia, nearly leveling the town of Gyumri. Local officials say 25,000 people lost their lives; unofficial figures claim 70,000 dead. More than one third of the victims were children. In mourning, many parents reacted to the devastating loss by naming newly-born children after their dead brothers and sisters. Today, many of these namesakes believe that the soul of their siblings lives in them. Filmmaker Jana Ševčíková visits the town 20 years on to find a people still recovering from this catastrophe.
Program F8



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