Suzanne Khardalian
SUZANNE KHARDALIAN
Film director/ script writer/ author
Suzanne Khardalian is an independent documentary film maker and writer. She has studied both in Beirut and Paris. Suzanne Khardalian has directed several films, among others: Back to Ararat (1988), Guldbagge (Swedish Oscar equivalent) for Best Film and a Red Ribbon at the American Film and Video Festival. Unsafe Ground (1993), most frequently shown documentary in Sweden, Her Armenian Prince (1997), From Opium to Chrysanthemums (2000), Words and Stones – Gaza (2000).
Education
Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy,The Fletcher School, Tufts University;Bachelor of Science in Biology ,American University of Beirut; Diploma in Teaching of Sciences ,American University of Beirut; Diploma in Investigative Journalist, Centre de Perfectionement des Journalistes in Paris Languages : Native Armenian; Fluent Arabic, French, English and Swedish; Basic Turkish and Italian
Professional Experience
Independent Film Director, Script writer, Researcher Researcher at Swedish Dramatiska Institute in Stockholm, Gamk Newspaper Paris, Editor in Chief Gamk Bilingual Paris, Editor/Analyst Aztag Daily, Editor in chief, News Reporter Radio Liban Evening News
Filmography
1988 Back to Ararat, "Guldbaggen" - Best Swedish Film of 1988. The first feature length documentary about the Armenian Genocide. Shown on 30 TV- stations. Festivals: IDFA Amsterdam, Berlin, Montreal, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Paulo, Calcutta. Prizes: Red Ribbon at American Film and Video Festival, Chicago For synopsis[1]
1991 They knocked on Our Door, refugees from Middle East and Asia stranded in Poland. The Golden Antenna Prize as Best Swedish TV-documentary, 1990
1993 Unsafe Ground, two young Swedes who dislike immigrants are taken to Beirut, a trip which changes their lives. Festivals: Cinema du Reél, Paris; Cinemagic, Belfast. It has been screened in "conflict areas" such as Beirut/Jerusalem, South Africa and Northern Ireland.
1996 The Lion from Gaza, after 13 years in Poland and Sweden Nafiz returns to Gaza and finds everything changed. Festivals: Krakow, Baltic Film Festival, Pernu
1997 Her Armenian Prince, long after the death of her beloved husband, 80-year old Göta finds out the "truth" about him. Sold to several TV- stations . Festivals: IDFA Amsterdam; Mumbai, India; Sydney; Baltic Film Festival
2000 From Opium to Chrysanthemums – a documentary on the Hmong people in Thailand and Laos who left the use of opium behind to grow Chrysanthemums instead. Many international festivals like IDFA, Hot Docs, St. Paul USA etc
2001 Words and Stones – Gaza 2000, a short documentary on a Palestinian boy in Gaza in the middle of the second intifada.
2002 Where Lies My Victory?, made in Armenia, this is a documentary about the personal experiences of war. When Aida was 36 she left her children and went to war. When David was fifteen he became a combat soldier fighting for Armenia. Aida came back as a war hero; David ended up as a cripple in a wheel chair. A film about the personal experiences of a war. In the film Aida and David meet and talk about the price they had to pay, and moreover about what their lives are worth today. Sold to several TV-stations, Diploma of Honour, Krakow Film festival
2005 I Hate Dogs - The Last Survivor Garbis is one of the last remaining survivors of the 1915 Armenian genocide committed by the Young Turks of the Ottoman Empire This film, about the art of survival, uncovers the secret behind his lifelong hatred of dogs.[2]
2006 Bullshit, Vandana Shiva is a world famous environmentalist and her agenda covers difficult issues affecting the developing world, such as Reclaiming the Commons patent on life, suicide genes, sustainable development and more. Co-production: Sweden, France, Finland, Norway. Broadcast in twenty countries. Festivals; Flying Broom Women's Film Festival in Ankara , Seoul Human Rights Film Festival, International Film Festival of Uruguay, IDFA Amsterdam, 1001 Documentary Film Festival Istanbul. See PBS The News Hour [3]
2008 Young Freud in Gaza,…. The growing culture of death, and a young man’s struggle against the current to make a difference :
2009 Grandma's Tattoos - Women, rape and genocide
Contact info
Suzanne Khardalian is now working as a writer and as a film maker in Stockholm, Sweden. She can be reached at suzanne.khardalian@comhem.se