Robert Guédiguian's "The Army of Crime" - peculiar call to contemporary youth

PanARMENIAN.Net - The activities of Misak Manushyan and his partisan group form part of a very important period of French history.



"When I shot "The Army of Crime", a film about him and the epoch, I wanted my contemporaries to ask themselves a question, "What would they do, if they were in our shoes?" director Robert Guédiguian told a news conference on Friday.



At that, he noted that the film was shot in 2008 and was included in the non-contest program of Cannes festival. Thereafter it was purchased by several countries, including China.



"The Army of Crime" has been screened in Spain, Britain and Scandinavian countries. The premier screening in Yerevan is due on November 29 in Moscow cinema. On November 28 and 30, it will be screened in Udjan village (Shirak region) and Gyumri.



"I appreciate the youth which is able to say 'no' and fight for something. That's why the film calls on youth to 'Wake up'. But that can hardly be called a united front of rebellious young people, because there are a lot of problems as it is," director explained.



According to him, the film features a historical reality characteristic of the period of World War II. "The bearers of true internationalism belonged to different nations.And it's painful to see the French, as well as representatives of other nations lose belief in internationalism. That's why the plot of the film is becoming actual," Robert Guédiguian said.



A French anti-fascist of Armenian decent, Misak Manushyan was born on September 1, 1906. Orphaned after Armenian Genocide, he found himself in Syria. Later, in 1925, he emigrated to Paris. There he worked at Citroen plant. Together with his Armenian compatriots, he published a journal advocating left-hand ideas and calling on emigrants to preserve of Armenian culture. Active hero of World War II, Manushyan organized anti-fascist operations together with his wife Meline Manushyan. Starting from August 1943, his group launched attacks against German occupants. The well-known Nazi "Red Placard" published in 15.000 copies portrayed the hero; "Manushyan, Armenian, band leader, 56 attacks, 150 dead and 600 wounded" - this is what it read. Misak Manushyan was arrested by German command, subjected to tortures and 3 month later executed together with 21 members of his group. On the execution day, he wrote to his wife, "What to tell you? Everything inside myself is uncertain and at the same time so light. I voluntarily joined the liberation army and will die now that we are on the threshold of victory. Happy are those who'll live after us, enjoying peace and freedom." Manushyan was posthumously awarded with Honorable Legion order. Streets and squares in Paris, Valence, Marseilles, Guardan and Yerevan are named after him and his group (Manushyan's group). His name was referred to by writers like Paul Éluard, Louis Aragon, Charles Aznavour and Leo Ferre.