Aram is a 2002 French action drama film written and directed by Robert Kechichian. The film is set primarily in France between 1993 and 2001 around Aram, a young French-Armenian militant attempting to supply arms to Nagorno-Karabakh and dealing with the aftermath of assassinating a Turkish general. Aram was released in 2002 in theatres in France, and made its American debut in 2004 at the Armenian Film Festival in San Francisco.
Plot
Aram Sarkissian (Simon Abkarian) is a young French-Armenian member of AGJSA, an Armenian militant organization, who leaves his family in Paris to fight in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. In October 1993, Aram returns to France to live a "normal life" again, but finds his younger brother Levon (Mathieu Demy) preparing the assassination of Azbalan Djelik, a general of the Turkish Army visiting France. Aram opposes the assassination, claiming the Armenian struggle lies in Nagorno-Karabakh, however, Levon considers Aram to be a coward, who then reluctantly agrees. One evening, General Djelik is killed when his car is ambushed by 3 masked gunmen, who shoot and kill three of the four passengers. The survivor, Djelik's aide-de-camp Colonel Talaat Sonlez (Serge Avédikian), shoots Levon after he pretended to be dead. Levon is immobilized and enters a coma, and Sonlez is shot by the Armenians before they flee. AGJSA claims responsibility for the attack, justifying it as General Djelik was a high-ranking member of the Black Wolves, a Turkish ultranationalist organization. Talaat survives again, and searches for the assassins by asking Monsieur Paul (Gilles Arbona), a French counter-terrorism policeman monitoring the activities of AGJSA, who does not reveal their identities.
By January, 2001, Levon is paralyzed and reliant on a wheelchair. Their father, Mihran Sarkissian (Alan Motte), is bitter and blames Levon's disabilities on Aram, who has not been seen by the family since the attack. Additionally, their younger sister Meline (Ljubna Azabal) becomes engaged to Stephan, a French man, which their father approves reluctantly and is frowned upon by his friends. Meanwhile, in Germany, the leader of the AGJSA, Vartan, negotiates an arms deal with Kurdish militants to buy a large shipment sniper rifles to be used by Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Kurds are represented by Midzametin, the head of the PKK in Europe, and his right-hand man Djalal, who is vocally against the deal. The Kurds change their deal, offering cheaper guns in exchange for support in assassinating Turkish diplomats if the Turkish Army launches a new offensive against the PKK, which Vartan accepts. Aram arrives back in France through Calais after returning from hiding in Karabakh, where he is photographed by Virgil, an agent of Paul. Aram reveals his reservations over Vartan's promises to the Kurds supporting assassinations of Turkish diplomats, believing they are ineffective and undesirable for the Armenian cause. En route to the weapons exchange Talaat and Djalal, who is working for the Turks, ambush the Kurds, and later shoot at the Armenians waiting the meeting point on a beach at night. Aram is wounded but kills Djalal without realizing his identity before escaping. Unaware of Djalal's betrayal, Aram first suspects Kervedjian, a diplomat of the Nagorono-Karabakh Republic in Paris, who he abducts and interrogates. Paul, knowing of Talaat's involvement, visits him at a Turkish bath and reminds him he was told in 1993 not to come back to France. Talaat states he is an attaché of the Turkish government as part of an official diplomatic mission, but Paul reveals his knowledge that Talaat is a member of the Black Wolves and is involved in the Turkish Mafia. Aram seeks the help of his friend, Fodil Boushaour, who provides him with handguns, a car, a fake driver's license, and backup from his friends, Saad and Mamad. In Paris, Mihran and Meline argue over Aram, with Mihran expressing his bitterness towards him, while Meline shows her sympathy. Kervedjian informs Aram of Djalal's betrayal and cooperation with the Turkish government, and that there is a new deal with the Kurds to deliver weapons. Aram is assigned to task of killing the Turks involved in the betrayal and to escort the new weapons to Karabakh. Aram tracks down Talaat and kills several of his men and his girlfriend, but fails to kill him and his aide Mehmet - furious, Talaat instructs Mehmet to find Aram and kill him. Meline invites Aram to her wedding in an attempt to reconcile with their father, while Kervedjian provides Aram details to collect the Kurdish weapons at the port in Dunkirk, and to escort the weapons to Karabakh via Athens.