Intent to Destroy: Death, Denial & Depiction (2017)

In the gripping cinematic journey Intent to Destroy: Death, Denial & Depiction (2017), Academy Award-winning filmmaker Terry George finally brings to life the harrowing tale of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in the mainstream feature film The Promise (2016). Amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the First World War, 1.5 million lives were brutally extinguished by the Ottoman Turks, their voices silenced in one of the most polarizing events of contemporary history. In an audacious blend of craft and revelation, celebrated director Joe Berlinger immerses himself within the epic production of George's film. His lens, unflinching, captures the emotional undertones of the cast's experiences, interweaving them with rare archival material that bears testament to the true horrors of the genocide. Berlinger's exploration is a poignant homage to humanity, resurrecting the buried narratives of a forgotten past. However, the shadows of denial loom large. As Berlinger plunges deeper into the heart of the genocide's suppression, he uncovers a chilling campaign by the Turkish government to orchestrate the narrative of the massacre. The echoes of this manipulation resonate even within the film community of Toronto, revealing a startlingly widespread control over the historical discourse. Intent to Destroy is not merely a film within a film, but a stark confrontation of the deliberate large-scale obliteration of a historical reality. It presents an unyielding examination of the tangled web of accountability that has fueled a century of denial by the Turkish government and its strategic allies. Berlinger's daring endeavor is a call for recognition - a beacon of truth in the face of strategic denial and silence. It underscores the Armenian Genocide's lasting legacy, its influence on subsequent genocides, and the unceasing struggle of its descendants for official acknowledgement. This film is a timely reckoning with the past, a raw portrayal of a people's plight - both then and now - and a daring proclamation of truth in a world that often looks the other way.

Intent to Destroy: Death, Denial & Depiction is a documentary movie featuring Terry George and directed by Joe Berlinger.

It is possible to buy Intent to Destroy: Death, Denial & Depiction on Amazon Video and Apple TV.