Armenian Genocide movie “The Promise” screened at Vatican

The Armenian Genocide themed movie ‘The Promise’ was screened at Vatican on April 4, Variety reported. It was attended by movie director Terry George, producer Eric Esrailian, stars Shohreh Aghdashloo and James Cromwell and by singer-songwriter Chris Cornell, who composed the theme song. Eric Esrailian recalled the visit of Pope Francis to Armenia last year, telling about the reaction of Armenian people when Pope Francis used the term ‘genocide’.

“When there was awareness [within the Vatican] that a major film was being made, we were contacted to screen the movie,” he saying as quoted by Variety. The film was sponsored by late American-Armenian businessman, billionaire Kirk Kirkorian.

Michael, a humble Armenian apothecary, leaves his village to study medicine in cosmopolitan Constantinople. Chris, an American photojournalist who has come to the country to partly cover the geopolitics, is in a relationship with the talented Ana, a Paris-educated, Armenian artist. When Michael meets Ana, their shared heritage sparks an attraction that explodes into a romantic rivalry between the two men. After the Turks join the war on the German side, the Ottoman Empire turns violently against its own ethnic minorities. Despite their conflicts, everyone must find a way to survive — even as monumental events envelope their lives.