‘My Sweet Land’ Team on Their Doc Being Pulled as Jordan’s Oscar Entry Due to Pressure From Azerbaijan: ‘This Means That Censorship and Silencing Can Win’

As a passionate advocate for freedom of speech and artistic expression, I am deeply saddened by Jordan’s decision to withdraw “My Sweet Land” from the Oscars race. The documentary, directed by the talented Sareen Hairabedian, is not just a film, but a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of conflict and adversity.

Jordan withdrew the film “My Sweet Land” from consideration as its submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, following pressure from Azerbaijan. This instance clearly demonstrates a nation yielding to censorship demands driven by diplomatic considerations.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I find “My Sweet Land” deeply captivating, for it weaves the tale of young Vrej, an 11-year-old dreamer residing in Artsakh – an ethnically Armenian territory nestled within Nagorno-Karabakh, a region southwestern Azerbaijan calls home. For three turbulent decades, this enclave has been the focal point of an on-and-off conflict, a war that finally concluded in 2023, when an Azerbaijani offensive led to a mass displacement of its ethnic Armenian inhabitants.

Currently, it appears that the Azerbaijani government aims to obliterate any remnants of their conflict with ethnic Armenians in the contested region. Remarkably, Jordan seems to have been ready to accommodate this request. As Sareen Hairabedian, the Jordanian-Armenian director of “My Sweet Land”, expressed to EbMaster, “We fail to comprehend why Azerbaijan could exert pressure on a country like Jordan and manipulate the narrative surrounding this film, resulting in its suppression and censorship.

Jordan’s Oscars representatives chose not to provide a comment in response to the query made by EbMaster.

In the following discussion, Hairabedian and Azza Hourani, the show’s Jordanian producer, delve deeper into their reactions towards the unexpected change in the nation and explore some potential causes for this shift.

How did you find out that Jordan had pulled the film?

Sareen Hairabedian: To give some background, the movie was also prohibited in Jordan. In essence, our team was taken aback when the Academy emailed us about the film’s withdrawal. Upon discovering that the film was banned in Jordan, yet it had been submitted as Jordan’s Oscar candidate, we were diligently trying to organize a qualifying screening elsewhere, specifically Armenia. We had everything arranged; it was all set to go. However, we received another email from the Academy stating that the submission had been retracted.

What was your reaction?

We reached out to the Royal Film Commission, who had supported our film financially, promoted it, and submitted it as Jordan’s Oscar entry, for an explanation since we were taken aback by something. The Royal Film Commission informed us that they had been working diligently to resolve a complaint made against the film by the government of Azerbaijan. They hadn’t shared this with us earlier because they believed it would be resolved swiftly.

For people who don’t know what’s happening in that part of the world, can you provide some context?

There’s a more significant political puzzle we’re trying to solve: why would Azerbaijan attempt to influence Jordan? It makes sense if they were pressuring Armenia – but there’s no direct connection between them. From our diplomatic and political perspective, it’s hard for us to grasp why Azerbaijan could exert pressure on a country like Jordan and manipulate their narrative regarding this film, causing it to be halted and suppressed. After the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Azerbaijan has been expanding its alliances, but from our perspective as filmmakers, when faced with such questions, I will always return to the idea that regardless of the political climate, this is an attempt to suppress a story at its core about a boy trying to live his life without fear of war and conflict. To frame it within political gains, battles, or diplomatic affairs is regrettable. And it’s particularly disheartening for us because it suggests that censorship and silencing can prevail.

Azza Hourani: What makes this movie potentially problematic? Firstly, it’s set in a region disputed by two countries, and it presents the story from an Armenian perspective. Secondly, we refer to the region as Artsakh, which is the Armenian name for it, and that could be seen as provocative. Lastly, any power claiming control over a territory would likely seek to suppress narratives originating from there.

Just to provide some more context, you shot the doc in 2018, when things there were different. Right?

Hairabedian: We began our research and filming in 2018, continuing until December 2022 when we completed shooting. However, during this time, Azerbaijan imposed a nine-month blockade on the only route linking Artsakh to Armenia, causing a severe shortage of food, fuel, transportation, and access to the region. Consequently, we were unable to return. In September 2023, they launched their final military attack, which resulted in over 100,000 Armenians fleeing the region.

What are the next steps for “My Sweet Land?”

Hairabedian: Following a period of suppression and efforts to appeal, which has absorbed our attention, energy, and mental resources for the past month and a half, we’re now concentrating on submitting this film in the documentary category for the Oscars. We wish to keep discussing this issue and to continue emphasizing Vrej’s story, which represents countless other children whose hardships and fears are often unheard, unshared, and unknown to the world. Therefore, we find it crucial that we’ve placed it in the documentary category. In the short time remaining, we are striving to screen this film as widely as possible. From Doc NYC to a theatrical run in L.A., and various international screenings with different organizations, our goal is to ensure its distribution at film festivals worldwide.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that my highly acclaimed film, “My Sweet Land,” will make its North American debut at DOC NYC in New York on November 16th. Additionally, it will have a U.S. theatrical release starting from November 29th in Los Angeles, with this run set to qualify for the Academy Awards’ best documentary feature category.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

2024-11-15 17:50