Rachel Yepremian-Owens
Staff Writer
On Friday, March 27, 2026, Fresno State’s Cineculture program, in partnership with the Armenian Studies Program, brought “Armenians, the Hidden Grandmothers” (La mémoire dans les veines) to the public. This is the first time that stories like these have been told in this way in a movie.
The film, created in 2024, is a documentary made by Armenian-French filmmaker Alexandra Routhiau Mikaélian. It entailed a journey that Mikaélian went on, based on a promise she made to her grandfather, to find his remaining family members located in Turkey.
Knowing no one from the family, Mikaélian was tasked to begin her journey somewhere simple. Her grandfather gave her a name, Shahimé. Shahimé was the half-sister he never met. Mikaélian and her grandfather live in Paris, France. The quest from Paris to Istanbul was not easy, but Mikaélian was determined, not just for herself, but for her grandfather.
The purpose of the film is to bring to light the countless stories of Armenian women and children who were displaced during the Armenian Genocide from 1915-1917. A majority of them were adopted into Turkish or Kurdish families, growing up having no recollection of their Armenian past. They eventually married and continued living in silence, as if their past never existed.
Mikaélian eventually connected with her grandfather’s family, and was able to create bonds and connections, despite some language barriers, that previously seemed to be impossible. Her family ended up learning about their Armenian roots, a true shock and an eye-opening experience.
During Mikaélian’s journey, she met writer and lawyer, Féthiye Çetin, a woman who gave Mikaélian unforgettable and truly valuable advice. “Grandmothers tell the stories to other women, who then tell other generations,” said Çetin. She gave Mikaélian hope that the work she was doing was not in vain.
Through Mikaélian’s determination and dedication, she is keeping alive a family made of a tangled, yet beautiful history.
After watching the film, audience members shared their own personal stories from their family lineages and the ways they connected with the film. In an effort to also empower women, a lot of women in the audience were truly touched by the film. “Each woman is proof of a genocide,” said Çetin.
With stories to tell and history to maintain uncovered from dust, women like Mikaélian have opened the door to Armenian expression and truth, more than ever before.
