Armenian Genocide Thriller Launches in LA, NY, Moscow, and iTunes

Yerevan Premiere of ‘1915 The Movie’ set for April 25

NEW YORK—After spectacular premieres in Los Angeles and Moscow, which garnered wide media attention and critical praise, “1915 The Movie” opened theatrically in New York and digitally on iTunes, launching the highly anticipated psychological thriller on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Theatrical poster for '1915 The Movie" — Theatrical poster for ‘1915 The Movie’

“As it grapples with the Armenian Genocide, ‘1915’ plays out like a pensive, high-minded version of Birdman,” the Los Angeles Times wrote in a review, calling the movie a “creative way to do justice to such a monumental topic.” Opening weekend numbers, according to per screen averages, made “1915” a top debut in the U.S., securing its extension to the April 24 weekend, when millions of Armenians across the world will commemorate the Centennial.

The Yerevan premiere is set for April 25, when the film’s co-director Garin Hovannisian, composer Serj Tankian (“System of a Down”), and lead actress Angela Sarafyan (“Twilight”) will unveil the film in both the English and Armenian languages for a high-profile crowd of international dignitaries, members of the press, and government officials.

With its hashtag #EndYourDenial, the film is not only an artistic vision, but also a political challenge—one that has angered genocide deniers. As of this writing, the Turkish-Azerbaijani hacking ring “Turkey Cyber Army” has disabled the landing page of the film’s online ad campaign. But the movie’s trailer, with more than half a million views, is still available at the official website—1915themovie.com—along with information about the theaters showing 1915 during this historic anniversary.