Director and Producer of “Screamers,” featuring the Grammy
award-winning band ‘System of a Down,’ on theatrical release
in the US and Canada in 2007, and released on DVD in 2008 by
Sony BMG. This critically acclaimed film, looking at the
recurring problem of genocide and genocide denial, has been
described as “brilliant” (Larry King, CNN), “eye-opening”
(LA Times), “extraordinary (Maxim), “articulate and
invigorating” (New York Times) and “powerful” (UK Guardian).
The film debuted at the American Film Institute Festival in
November 2006 where it won the coveted Audience Award. It
has been translated into 12 languages and shown in
universities, schools, churches, synagogues and cultural
institutes around the world. It has also been screened for
the U.S. Congress, European Parliament, United Nations and
British Parliament.
“Film and ‘new media’ greatly influence today’s youth, who
no longer want to ignore the continuing problem of
genocide,” says Garapedian, who earned her doctorate in
international relations at the London School of Economics
and Political Science before working as a producer, director
and foreign correspondent based in Britain. “After meeting
so many young “screamers” I’m committed to the Pomegranate
Foundation’s main purpose -- genocide education through
popular culture."
The headline about Garapedian in the Los Angeles Times
best describes her filmmaking background -- “Documenting
Truth in Dangerous Places.” She made world headlines in her
film “Dying for the President” about the
war in Chechnya. She made her name with the film about the
brutal treatment of women in Afghanistan -- "Lifting
the Veil" -- which premiered in the U.S. in August
2003. More headlines followed her 2005 film, "My
Friend the Mercenary" about the attempted military
coup in Equatorial Guinea, linked to Mark Thatcher and the
notorious mercenary, Simon Mann. Her other acclaimed
documentary, “Children of the Secret State”
detailed starvation, human rights abuses and cannibalism in
North Korea. In “Europe’s Nuclear Nightmare”
for the BBC she went inside some of the world’s most
dangerous nuclear reactors to document safety abuses.
“Iran Undercover” – about the underground
student movement in Iran – won the prestigious Edward R.
Murrow award as part of the PBS Frontline World series.
Carla Garapedian
Garapedian is the only American to anchor the famous BBC
World News. She has also been a correspondent for NBC
Sunrise, NBC Nightly News and CNBC in London. She narrated
the Armenian genocide film, "Voices from the Lake" by
celebrated filmmaker, J. Michael Hagopian, as well as
co-writing his award-winning film "Germany and the Secret
Genocide." She is the narrator for his most recent genocide
film “The River Ran Red.”
In 2007 Garapedian was awarded the Armin T. Wegner
Humanitarian Award, by the Armin T. Wegner Foundation in
Germany and the ARPA Foundation. She is a member of the
Royal Institute of International Affairs in London.
Director Carla Garapedian at Ramona Middle School with
media students from Sergio Estrada's video production class
at Olive Peirce Middle School in Ramona, California on
February 29, 2007.
Director Carla Garapedian and Pomegranate Vice President
Jerry Papazian with Ambassador John Evans and his wife
Donna at the Ambassador's tribute dinner sponsored by the
USC Institute of Armenian Studies.
