“To live without being constantly afraid… should be a basic right of every human being.”
This was the reality the Petrosyan family was facing while trying to find a new place to call home, a place where they would no longer need to be afraid, where they could raise their daughters in safety and where they would be welcomed by others, instead of merely being tolerated.
But let us start from the beginning…
When the Soviet Union collapsed at the beginning of the 1990s, a series of conflicts broke out in different areas of the former Soviet bloc. Thus, Armenians living in Azerbaijan found themselves becoming targets of discrimination and violence, which led to the massive exodus of the Armenian population from those regions.
The Petrosyan family found themselves in the same situation: hateful speeches were encountered everywhere, the youngest daughter was excluded from school and when they helplessly witnessed the execution of some of their compatriots they packed only a few necessary things and left, fearing for their lives. During their journey toward a better place, they arrived in Volgograd, Russia, where they faced cold, hunger, discrimination and the same fear of living their lives, even when they tried to keep their heads down.
In these difficult circumstances, life brought them into contact with a religious community that gradually began to restore their confidence that people can be sincere and good, without hidden interests.
Ivan Petrosyan: “Mr. Dwayne, you don’t have to do this.”
Dwayne (who came from America): “Alright.”
Ivan: “I don’t understand you. In fact, I don’t understand any of you. You could be at home or somewhere comfortable, yet all of you chose to come here, to Volgograd, to serve strangers in the middle of nowhere.”
Dwayne: “Yes, I suppose we could have. (...) Every time I come back here, the pain in my heart eases a little bit more. I don’t know if it will ever disappear, but this is where I need to be now.”
Will the Petrosyan family manage to build a future in which fear is no longer a constant presence? Find out in the film Between Borders, screened at the third edition of the Quo Vadis International Film Festival. This year, the theme of our festival is My Neighbor, and this production fits perfectly with the chosen theme, as it shows how, even through small gestures, we can offer hope and change lives.
The film tells the real story of this family and the actress portraying Violetta Petrosyan is Elizabeth Tabish, whom you probably know from the role of Mary Magdalene in the series The Chosen (which we also recommended here).
We are looking forward to seeing you at the festival!
