MovieChat Forums > The Water Diviner (2014) Discussion > Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide ...

Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide & Russell Crowe's naive movie


Here is a fascinating article/review about the implicit denial of the Armenian genocide in Russell Crowe's "The Water Diviner":

http://www.salon.com/2015/04/21/what_armenian_genocide_%E2%80%9Cthe_water_diviner%E2%80%9D_russell_crowes_disgraceful_turkish_fantasy/

If you think that the reviewer is wrong, think again:

Crowe couldn't have made his film in the first place without Turkish cooperation. He would have never gotten a permit to shoot there if he mentioned the Armenian genocide in his script.

Crowe knew that the topic of the Armenian genocide was off limits in Turkey
and respected the denial of the mass-murder of 1.5 mill. Armenians,
because the 10.000 dead Australian soldiers were more important to his story...

Crowe could have shot his movie somewhere else. He didn't have to shoot in Turkey and let himself be used by Turkish nationalist interests, who still deny the crimes of 1915.

This film is a disgusting, Turkish state - sponsored distortion of history.

The Turks and Australians are presented as victims of WWI, while the 1.5 mill.
murdered Armenian civilians, who were no soldiers and couldn't defend themselves, are NOT MENTIONED AT ALL.

Incredible, isn't it ?

This is what you call 'propaganda' or disinformation.

Crowe should be ashamed of himself.



reply

[deleted]

There's a simple reply to this post.

It's a film about an Australian man who goes to Turkey to look for the bodies of his sons killed in battle.

It isn't a film about the Armenian genocide, or any other wider aspect of Turkish history during or after WW1.

Glad I could clear that one up so easily and quickly for you. You're welcome.

reply

'After all, who remembers the Armenians?'
-Adolf Hitler


Trollus, for the first time ever, you're right.

reply

You've got an obvious agenda, that's clear. But considering this movie had NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT PART OF HISTORY (which most people are aware of, so it's hardly forgotten about) it's a moot point.

That's like getting upset that Atonement didn't examine the Holocaust because of some German conspiracy. Or A Bridge Too Far. How dare they deny it happened!

Idiot.

reply

a revealing line the movie is when the british officer described what was happening in anatolia as basically a dust-up between greeks and turks, rather than the kemalist ethnic cleansing of the region entire.

reply

[deleted]

I didn't think the main plot itself wasn't that bad. It's well shot and the acting is fine. The omission of the Armenian Genocide was a gross miscalculation though. I guess he wanted to curry favor with the Turkish government in order to shoot on location?

reply