© InformAction Films Inc. & Twenty Voices

April 24, 1915. The date, distant and meaningless to some, resonates and shapes Araz Artinian. It was the day the Armenian genocide began, a day that is woven throughout the work of the young Canadian-Armenian filmmaker. In her most recent documentary, The Genocide in Me, Artinian delves into questions of intermarriage, cultural identity and historical responsibility, using her own voice and those of several genocide survivors.

Montréal Magazine: You grew up in Montreal and went to an exclusively Armenian school. What was it like to grow up in the Armenian community here?

Araz Artinian: It was as if we were cut off from Quebec society. The community is small and my parents were always very active in it. Our classes were all in Armenian, and there's a lot of pressure to marry an Armenian. It was shocking for my parents, being so involved in the community, to see the film, to see what their daughter really thinks. It was hard, but now they're proud.

When I got to Turkey, I felt like calling my dad and telling him, "Forget it, they're never going to admit it."

MM: Your documentary is very personal, with home videos and a powerful interview with your father about the fear of losing his culture in Canada. How difficult was the filming process for you?

AA: Everything was a challenge. The scene with my father talking about his past was really hard for me to film. We weren't even going to put it in at first because I had refused to do it. It was the worst day of my life. But now I realize that it was necessary to the story.

MM: Your story addresses, among other things, the crisis of the Armenian community in the face of Turkey's continual denial of the events of 1915. How did you incorporate this into the film?

AA: I went to Turkey and signed up for a guided tour. Often I was filming without the Turkish guide knowing. It was much worse than what you see in the film. When I first got there, I thought, wow, this is it? I felt like calling my dad and telling him, "Forget it, they're never going to admit it."

MM: The denial of the genocide is also a preoccupation for Canadian-Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, who has called your film, "truly beautiful and deeply affecting." How has the film been received by others?

AA: I was in San Francisco, right after the film was screened, and a girl my age came up to me, hugged me and started crying. She said, "You are telling our story." Girls who share the same burden are touched by the film. Parents can relate to my father and the younger generation is inspired by the film. It's a success.

MM: So, what are you planning to do next?

AA: My Middle East tour starts in September. I'm translating the film into Armenian now so I can take that version there. This summer, I'll take singing lessons in Armenia. I'll also be doing research for a documentary on The Little Singers of Armenia, a children's choir. I'm hoping that experience will help me write my first feature film.

Learn more about Araz Artinian and the Armenian genocide at www.twentyvoices.com