Bared Maronian previews “Genocide 2.0,” a documentary on the Artsakh War and ethnic cleansing
On June 10, filmmaker Bared Maronian hosted a focus group screening for his new documentary “Genocide 2.0.” Gathered at West Newton Cinema in Newton, Massachusetts was the group of about 100 Armenians and non-Armenians with diverse backgrounds, professions and ages.
Based in Florida, Maronian is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose previous films include “Orphans of the Genocide” and “Women of 1915.” For Maronian, “Genocide 2.0” completes his trilogy of films addressing the Armenian Genocide.
“Genocide 2.0” follows the events of the 2020 Artsakh War, the ensuing Azerbaijani blockade of the territory, the 2023 ethnic cleansing and their aftermath.
“We titled the film Genocide 2.0 to highlight the modern, systemic repetition of this history,” Maronian said. “But at its core, the film is truly about ‘the living’ — it is a testament to the resilience of the survivors and the micro-histories of those who are still here, fighting to be heard.”
“Genocide 2.0” first began as an episode in Maronian’s documentary series “Faces of Persecution.” The series focused on ethnic and religious groups facing persecution, such as the Yazidis and Nigeria’s Christian farmers. In 2024, the seven-minute version of “Genocide 2.0” was nominated for a Suncoast Regional Emmy Award.
“When the 2020 war ended, it felt like the final chapter. We thought nothing worse could happen and that we had reached the end of a major cornerstone of the story,” Maronian said. “But then came 2023, and the forced displacement of the entire population of Artsakh. With that, not only did the curve of the story change, but some of our own crew became the story themselves. For example, our director of photography in Artsakh, Tigran Petrosyan, along with 120,000 Artsakh Armenians, became victims. After losing his home and everything else he owned, the storyteller became the story.”
The film weaves together the stories of survivors and the historical narrative, balancing the emotional depth with the academic elements.
“After losing his home and everything else he owned, the storyteller became the story.”
Maronian turned to a variety of sources for the footage, with much of it coming from the film’s own crew, led by director of photography Tigran Petrosyan, whose family roots in Artsakh trace back generations, and field producer Anahit Harutunyan. This footage was supplemented by combat sequences from photojournalists, additional footage captured internationally, historical material and motion graphics created in post-production. Original music for the film was created by C-Rouge (Serouj Baghdassarian).
Former editor of The Armenian Weekly Pauline Getzoyan was among those in attendance at the screening.
“The storylines and scenes that stuck out to me the most were the personal stories of the Artsakhtsis who lived through the horrors in their homeland. I’m a very sensitive viewer, so I wasn’t able to watch the more graphic scenes, especially after having reported on the events as they happened,” said Getzoyan.
In hosting the screening, Maronian’s goal was primarily to gauge an audience’s reaction to the material and evaluate the technical elements of the film in a proper theatrical environment.
“As a documentary filmmaker, it is easy to get too close to the material during the editing process,” Maronian said. “By bringing together a truly diverse cross-section of people, we wanted to see if the core emotional elements of the story translate universally. It was vital to listen carefully to the audience’s comments during the Q&A session and ensure we take their feedback into consideration.”
However, the event also acted as an opportunity to share the film with long-term supporters of the project, such as members of the Cultural Impact Foundation, the Mkhitarian Family Trust, and the Gulabi Gulbenkian Foundation. Maronian said, “It also provided a wonderful opportunity to publicly honor Mr. Yervant Nahikian, the chair of the Vahe Fattal Foundation, whose major support helped make this film a reality.”
Getzoyan said, “So many emotions were evoked during the film — everything from anger to dismay and heartbreak. Having been the editor of the Armenian Weekly during the war, blockade and ultimate ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, the film brought up all the memories and emotions of that time as we reported the news. I’ll admit that I spent quite a bit of time in tears during the screening.”
For Getzoyan, the film is also an important step toward justice and awareness. “Any story of man’s inhumanity to man, atrocities and injustice must be told to work toward justice and to aid in prevention,” she said. “Artsakh flew under the radar of most international media, making it even more important that the events be recorded and disseminated to a wider audience. If not, then denialism takes hold and these crimes continue in perpetuity.”
While it can be difficult to witness the events depicted in the film, “Genocide 2.0” ends on a hopeful note in showcasing the ongoing efforts for international recognition and the myriad paths to justice already in progress.
“Because Artsakh-related cases are currently before the ICC [International Criminal Court] and ICJ [International Court of Justice], we tracked the legal developments alongside the human elements,” Maronian said. “Although ending a film with such heavy subject matter on a high note is incredibly challenging, I believe we succeeded — but you’ll just have to watch the movie to see how.”
“Any story of man’s inhumanity to man, atrocities and injustice must be told to work toward justice and to aid in prevention,”
The feature-length version of “Genocide 2.0” will be screened twice at the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival in Ohio on October 7-8, 2026. Stay informed about the documentary’s upcoming festival and public screenings by following Bared Maronian’s updates on Facebook and LinkedIn. For additional information about the film, visit the Faces of Persecution site.
