A Conversation with Filmmaker Naré Mkrtchyan

I was recently asked if I thought that those descended from the Holocaust have a responsibility to carry their family story. I was surprised by my own answer when I said no. I can’t dictate for others what to care about, but I’m certain it’s of great value to know our history. I’ve hinged my entire career and so many of my hopes on it. Personal history is a bridge builder. It’s a source of connection.

When I share this feeling, I often talk about filmmaker Naré Mkrtchyan who is a granddaughter of the Armenian genocide. I was introduced to Naré back in 2020 during the lonely days of the pandemic. An acquaintance, who happened to be a professional matchmaker, told us we should be friends and that’s what we became.

A couple years later, Naré joined me on Along The Seam for a conversation about the similarities and differences of our lived experiences as descendants of genocide. In my case, I come from the Holocaust—perhaps the most well known genocide. Naré’s experience has been different. The Armenian genocide has been debated and denied for over a 100 years. This lack of public acknowledgement remains a source of pain for the children and grandchildren of survivors.

To honor Genocide Awareness Month, I’m re-sharing the 2022 conversation I had with Naré. I also encourage you to watch her film, The Other Side of Home, which was the first film about the Armenian Genocide to have been shortlisted for an Oscar.

At the start of this episode, you will hear a short piece narrated by Stephen Smith about Armin Wegner. Armin was born in Germany in 1886. As a soldier, he became a witness to the genocide of the Armenians during the First World War and then stood up to Hitler about the persecution of the Jews in 1933. Armin would end up spending most of his life living in exile because of his choice to speak out.

Together, Armin and Naré’s stories shed light on the repercussions of generations-long denial and silence. You can listen to this episode (#7) wherever you get your podcasts by searching ALONG THE SEAM, or right here. The transcript for my conversation with Naré is below. Please note: these transcripts are edited for brevity and clarity, and for paid subscribers. But the podcast episodes are always free for all. You can find a full archive of episodes at www.alongtheseam.com.