Amerikatsi

Written, directed by and starring Michael A. Goorjian, this 2022 film follows Charlie, who returns to Armenia from the United States in 1948. He fled the country as a child, and the place he comes back to in search of his roots is a country crushed under Soviet rule. He is soon imprisoned unjustly. The film's idea comes from the window of his cell: Charlie can see into an apartment in the building opposite. He spends his days watching the family who live there and builds a connection to the country he lost through people he never speaks to. The scenes closest to the silent comedy tradition come out of that section. Goorjian chooses to keep the tone light; imprisonment, exile and the question of identity after genocide are all inside the narrative, but the film does not weigh them down. Some viewers found that choice too soft. Who it's for: those who like stories of the Armenian diaspora and historical drama in a lighter register. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a hard, direct account of Soviet-era repression; the film balances the pain with humour.