President Michael D. Higgins and Armenian Genocide Day

After 11 months without any 'cutbacks' uploads, I was forced to respond to President Michael D's participation in Turkey's Gallipoli commemoration ceremonies, moved by the Turkish government from the usual date of 25th of April to the 24th of April - why? Purely to clash, coincide with and eclipse the 100th remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, traditionally remembered each year on April 24th. Sure, remembering the Irish dead in Gallipoli is great, but not on this particular day, and not in Turkey on this particular day... This is what Michael D. should have said in Turkey today...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW5uTAwDpRw

Tonight, news.am points out that the Irish PM (Enda Kenny) has failed to use the word 'genocide' in expressing his condolences for the Armenians' 'terrible suffering and loss'...

http://news.am/eng/news/263880.html

The Armenians are using the forget-me-not flower as the symbol of their genocide remembrance. The remembrance campaign is titled 'remember and demand' (demand that the genocide is recognised.

https://www.armenianow.com/genocide/60808/armenia_forgetmenot_symbol_genocide_centennial

http://www.armnet.org/events?id=350

New Film Progresses Slowly

Have finally (after 8 months of agonising) started the construction of characters for my new film 'The King and The Princess'. Here are 4 heads started - they'll have interchangeable mouths and foreheads. The heads will be proportionally large, making the characters feel much less 'realistic' and much more like puppets. The film will use the 'cutbacks' production pipeline, but I'll endeavour to (in the words of Steve Woods) 'make it look a little bit more finished'. I'm still thinking of using Paradjanov style collage layouts... Hopefully start shooting on Paddy's weekend...

first heads for 'King and Princess' film

Armenia - The Cartoon

Thanks to Ruzanna Sarukhanyan for directing me to this Youtube channel of Armenian animations! I'll trawl through them over the next few weeks, but Ruzanna was recommending the charming 'Gtnvats eraz', about a girl who enters a dream world to find the dream her grandfather has lost...

Thanks to Ruzan! Հայկական Մուլտեր

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHido3SxxrtwZ77_OJM4xtA?feature=watch