At the turn of the twentieth century, a group of selfless Americans rallied the nation to save a generation of orphans in war-torn Ottoman Empire. Motivated by nothing but a moral sense of duty, these men and women, among them industrialists, ambassadors, missionaries, teachers, nurses, admen and Presidents, helped bring care and comfort to millions of suffering refugees in extremely harrowing environments. At this moment in history, the U.S. was truly a shining city on a hill.
They Shall Not Perish: The Story of Near East Relief is the story of the men and women who worked to save the Armenian people and other Christian minorities in the wake of the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman government in Turkey. It is told through the individual stories of those who bore witness, rallied the country, raised money, and delivered aid and comfort. Utilizing leading academic experts and voice-over narration against a mix of historical film, photographs and contemporary footage, TSNP takes viewers on a journey from the depths of cruelty to the triumphs of survival.
There will be a Q&A session following the screening with the film’s director and producer, George Billard. George is a former student at Harvard Kennedy School (MC/MPA ’05) and an award-winning producer, writer, director, and cinematographer. To date he has helmed productions in over forty countries. His work includes, commercials, television, documentaries and film. In addition to They Shall Not Perish, he is currently in production on Amateur, a documentary film about amateur cagefighters in New York, and They Call Me Killer, a documentary about an unusual state executioner. His original screenplay, Dispossessed was awarded the Grand Prize for Best Screenplay at the 2015 Rhode Island International Film Festival.
