Film of a System of a Down

Comments (0) By Siran Babayan Thursday, Apr 12 2012

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Hammer Museum, Billy Wilder Theater

10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Westwood, CA 90024

Category: Museums

Region: West L.A.

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Fans of now-dormant System of a Down might've gotten a better understanding of the metal band's politics thanks to Screamers, Carla Garapedian's 2006 film pairing concert footage with the members' reflections on the Armenian Genocide, 20th century's first genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks during WWI, which has yet to be acknowledged by the current Turkish government. It's both a cultural and personal bone of contention as most of the musicians are descendants of survivors, including head screamer Serj Tankian, seen here interviewing his 96-year-old grandfather who was raised in American missionary orphanages after his family perished. (Activist Tankian often puts his money where his loud mouth is; the documentary accompanies Tankian and bandmade John Dolmayan as they attend a D.C. rally and confront then–House Speaker Dennis Hastert in the hopes of getting Congress to pass a resolution that would formally recognize the genocide only to be politely brushed off.) Included are interviews with other survivors, as well as the usual political and scholarly talking heads who argue the broader moral message that one form of ethnic cleansing begets another, be it the Holocaust, Iraqi-Kurds, Rwanda, Kosovo or Darfur. The screening is part of the museum's trio of events commemorating the Armenian Genocide, including director Atom Egoyan's 2002 film Ararat, followed by a talk with Egoyan and Tankian later this month. Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Wstwd.; Tues., April 17, 7 p.m.; free. (310) 443-7000.
Tue., April 17, 7 p.m., 2012