Finding Armenia

An Armenian-American photojournalist reckons with the powerful legacy of genocide. When your family's brutal past is denied, how do you make sense of who you are?

Today, over 100 million refugees flee their home countries in search of safety, echoing the plight of Nubar’s grandparents and thousands of Armenians who escaped the Ottoman Turks' brutality in the early 20th century.

Raised speaking Armenian and surrounded by the haunting sounds of the oud, he lived and breathed Armenian culture. Yet, no one ever spoke of the persecution that had brought Nubar’s grandparents to the United States, not even his grandmother, who lost her three young daughters on a death march. Nubar felt suffocated by the unspoken suffering and fled as far from his Armenian identity as he could—until the day his daughter Abby, half-Armenian, asked him a simple question: “Dad, will you come to Armenia with me?”

Armed with a map marking his grandmother's plot of land, Nubar and Abby embark on a guided tour through Eastern Turkey (Historic Armenia), searching for their ancestral homes. The journey becomes a revelation, transforming Nubar’s avoidance into painful recognition and a deeper understanding of his family's story. Immersing himself in Armenia's tragic history, he feels compelled to return, driven by a desire not just to reunite but to reclaim—to make his grandmother's confiscated land Armenian again. Traveling with a small crew, he engages with Turks, both friendly and hostile, exploring the possibilities of radical reclamation. This quest culminates in a dangerous act of reparative rebellion.

Director/Producer: Nubar Alexanian

Editor/Producer: Sabrina Zanella-Foresi

Producer: Laura Wiessen

Writer/Producer: Abby Alexanian

Cinematographers: P.H. O’Brien & Nubar Alexanian

Consulting Producer: Jocelyn Glatzer

Consulting Producer: Jackie Mow

Start Date: October 2011

Release Date: April, 2025

Fiscal Sponsor: Filmmakers Collaborative

Target running time: 65:00

Status: currently in postproduction.