Between Borders

Are you ready to continue, Mr. Petrosyan?

Counselor Whitlow.

I'll repeat the question.

Mr. Petrosyan,

were you or your family

ever victims of direct acts of violence?

Oh, no.

Ohanna, help.

Oh, no.

No.

Grigor, what happened?

Someone decorated my window with a brick.

Are you okay?

Yes, I'm okay.

Did you see who did it?

Local teens.

Did you call the police?

Police don't care what happen to us.

I'm sorry my friend.

It's okay.

No one was hurt.

That's all that matters.

Go home to your family.

Tell my wife I'll be late for dinner,

but please, don't tell her why.

No, no, no.

I will stay here until we finish,

and then will walk you home.

Okay. Thank you.

-Thank you. -Of course.

Okay, here.

Can we have dolma for dinner?

It's your sister's night to pick.

But she likes it too.

She can tell me herself.

-Bye. -Oh, Principal Petrosyan,

please , this record needs your signature.

-Can it wait until tomorrow? -I'm afraid not.

Come on, Mom. Let's go home. I'm hungry.

Thank you.

The cat--

Sound this word out slowly.

What sound does each letter make?

Climbed.

-Climbed? -That's right. Good.

Mama.

Yes.

Hello.

Her reading comprehension is coming along day by day.

Oh, I'm so proud of you.

-I'll see you tomorrow before school? -Yes.

Good work today.

Thank you for your help.

Oh, it's my pleasure.

-I know you studied, correct? -Yes, I did a lot, actually.

-How'd you feel about that? -Good.

Let's go get dolma.

Yay. Dolma.

-See? -Did you tell her to say that?

Of course not.

I miss dolma too.

Mom, why does their signs say that?

What does the signs say?

-They say-- -Julia, we're leaving now.

Mr. and Mrs. Sarkisian, what's with all the luggage?

We're leaving for Moscow.

I didn't know you had family in Moscow.

We don't, but it's safer there for all Armenians.

Every few years or so,

Azerbaijanis and Armenians have a flare-up and things come right back down.

This time, it feels different.

Russia will not allow anything to happen.

Open your eyes.

The Soviet Union is crumbling.

Russia has no resources left to protect us.

We can't just leave. This is our home.

Is it?

Who wants to help prep the grape leaves?

-Me. -Yes, and the minced meat?

No, it's not me.

Why did the people in the streets have those signs today?

Don't you worry about that.

What signs?

There were people in the streets with signs that scared Mama.

Mama wasn't scared.

Sometimes people say and write things they don't really mean.

It's about war, isn't it?

-What war? -It's not a war.

Yes, it is. They talked about it in class today.

Julia, watch your tone.

There is a small conflict going on in the mountains right now.

What are they fighting about?

A piece of land

that both Armenians and Azerbaijanis each claim as their own,

but this has been going on for many, many years, off and on.

It's nothing new.

Aren't you Armenians and Azerbaijanis?

Yes, that's right, sweetheart.

Then whose side are we on?

We're on no one's side.

We are Armenians in our blood, but Azerbaijan is our home.

We have Armenians in our blood?

-No, what Mama meant

is that our families came from Armenia many, many years ago

before Mama and I were born.

Oh.

That's enough questions for now.

Time for baths.

No stalling.

Let's go.

Okay. Good night.

-Bye. -Good night.

-Are you going to tuck us in? -Of course. I'll be right there.

Are you going to tell me what those signs said?

"Death to Armenians."

Really?

I know,

but we've seen this before,.

We can't just run and hide

every time there's a flare-up in the mountains.

Someone vandalized Grigor's store today.

My goodness.

Was he hurt?

No.

Fortunately.

Russia said they would send troops

to protect Armenian neighborhoods if tensions worsen.

Do you really think Russia is going to come save us?

I believe in Russia.

I believe in the solidarity of the Soviet Union

and I believe in the Communist Party.

We are brothers and sisters. We do not fight amongst ourselves.

Except when we do.

What do you believe in, Ivan?

I believe in music.

Seriously?

Seriously.

I believe in you and the girls,

and I believe in love.

Baby, have a good session, okay?

-Mrs. Petrosyan. -Hmm?

We cannot take Olga today.

Why?

I'm sorry.

What do you mean you can't take her?

Some men came by yesterday evening

asking for the names of all the Armenian children.

What?

I'm sorry, but if Olga stays here, we cannot guarantee her safety.

You're joking.

I wish I was.

They're just children.

Mrs.-- you have to go.

We can't have any of you here anymore.

Come on.

Mom, you're hurting my hand.

Sorry, baby.

Where are we going?

You're going to spend the day with Mama.

Yay.

Have a good day, okay?

-Bye. -Bye.

You should go to my office.

Those attendance records that I signed last night,

can I see them?

Someone came by and picked them up.

Who?

I can't say.

You can't or you won't?

I wasn't here. I saw nothing.

Why don't you draw a nice picture for Mommy, okay?

-Okay. -There we go.

Baku Research Center.

Hi, this is Violetta Petrosyan.

Has my husband Ivan arrived yet?

One moment.

-Violetta. -Ivan.

What's wrong?

Would it be possible for the girls and I

to come and meet you at your office and then go to Papa's house together?

Are you all right?

I'm fine, yes, we're all fine.

Your tone tells me otherwise.

We'll meet you this afternoon, right after school, okay?

-Okay. -Bye now.

My father used to always tell me on days like today,

"We live in exile,

and it's your duty to remember where you're from

and to your children

who've never seen the snow on Mount Ararat.

Remind them."

I'm Armenian

in my heart, my soul, my blood,

and I'm proud of it.

I've never seen the snow on Mount Ararat,

but what have I seen?

The morning sun

shimmering off the Caspian Sea,

spring afternoons,

,