The Armenian Americans (2000)
The Armenian Americans captures the spirit of this amazing culture and its legacy of inspiration, achievement, perseverance, and survival. Personal recollections from three generations of proud Armenians – including tennis champion Andre Agassi, author Peter Balakian, actor Mike Connors, actor/writer Eric Bogosian, actress/writer Andrea Martin, NCAA basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, historians, musicians, politicians, religious leaders, and corporate executives – pay warm tribute and celebrate why there has never been a better time to be an Armenian American. Ara Topouzian on kanun and Dick Barsamian also make an appearance in this documentary.

The Armenians, Story of Survival (2001)
The people of Armenia were the first to adopt Christianity as a national religion. This history of these Middle Eastern people describes their language and culture, disputes with neighboring peoples, the Armenian genocide in 1915 Turkey, the Armenian Diaspora and Soviet Armenia. Includes comments by Elie Wiesel, Robert J. Lifton, Peter Balakian, Catholicos Karekin II and Robert Kocharian. Written, directed and produced by Andrew Goldberg; narrated Olympia Dukakis. Twenty five minutes of additional interviews follow program.

The Lighthouse (2001)
This 18 minute film was produced as a work of journalism to explore and uncover corruption within Armenia ‘s health care industry. The film featured Dr. Hrayr Hovaguimian, a kindhearted, humorous man, who was successful in using honest business practices to beat the system. This video was the inspiration to produce Faces of Bravery.

Adio Kerida: A Cuban Sephardic Journey (2001)
Adio Kerida is a personal documentary about the search for identity and history among Sephardic Jews with roots in Cuba . The title is borrowed from a Sephardic love song in order to highlight the themes of expulsion, departure, and exile that are at the crux of the Sephardic legacy. At the same time, the title invokes the creative energy that is injected into a culture when it crosses racial, ethnic, and national lines. It also has a personal dimension and references the desire for reconciliation between the filmmaker and her Sephardic father. Music from Full Circle was used for a portion of this documentary.

Mountain Men and Holy Wars (2002)
Mountain Men and Holy Wars is the first film to explore the roots of Islamic radicalism and terror in Chechnya. We learn from the story of Imam Shamil that history is repeating itself in a conflict that neither the Russians, nor the West can ever win by force. We learn that Holy War in the Chechnya is far from over. Music from Full Circle was used for portions of this documentary. This documentary was featured on the Sundance Channel.

Images of the Armenian Spirit (2003)
Images of the Armenian Spirit celebrates more than 3,000 years of art, culture and survival of the Armenian people. The rich visuals in this documentary highlight the epic accomplishments in Armenian history, architecture and religion as well as the devastation of the genocide of 1915.

Guardians of Music: A History of Armenian Music in Detroit (2015)
Guardians of Music, is a one-hour film documentary produced and narrated by 2012 Kresge Artist Fellow Ara Topouzian, a Detroit Armenian musician that benefited from the history of the Armenian music masters. The film will feature visits to local metro Detroit locations where Armenian music was once prominent, as well as rare interviews with some of the musicians and nightclub patrons of that era. Topouzian will share rare photographs, film archives and newspaper clippings that promoted music in the clubs and dance halls, showcasing the diversity and vibrancy of the Detroit multicultural music scene during that time period. DVD copies are for sale by CLICKING HERE.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL

World Music: A Cultural Legacy (2000)
Published by Glencow Division, McGraw Hill/Macmillan Press
An educational audio package in teaching students the different forms of world music. Music from Khnjook! The Ara Topouzian Ensemble was utilized for this project.

Our Musical World: The Middle East & North Africa (2012)
Each Unit includes: broad discussions of under-emphasized topics in Western education; stories and interviews from the musicians, educators, or youth of the culture-groups discussed, and wonderfully creative musical samples. Our Musical World, (5.1 Book 5 / Video 1 ) — looks at the fascinating culture and music of Armenia. Ara Topouzian – narrates & demonstrates the Kanun and Armenian music — which we learn evolved over grave injustices imposed by the former Ottoman empire.