J. Michael Hagopian facts for kids

Jakob Michael Hagopian (Armenian: Մայքլ Հակոբ Հակոբյան; October 20, 1913 – December 10, 2010) was an Armenian-born American filmmaker. He was nominated for an Emmy award for his work. He is best known for making films about different cultures and important historical events.

A Life of Stories: Michael Hagopian

Michael Hagopian was born on October 20, 1913. His family was Armenian. He was born in a place called Kharpert, which was part of the Ottoman Empire back then.

When Michael was a baby in 1915, there was a very difficult time for Armenians. His mother bravely hid him in a mulberry bush to keep him safe. They both survived this hard period. Later, they moved far away to Fresno, California, in the United States.

Michael was very smart and loved to learn. He went to the University of California, Berkeley. After that, he studied at Harvard University. He earned a special degree in international relations. This means he learned about how different countries and people interact with each other.

Instead of working for the government, Michael decided to make movies. He started his own company called Atlantis Films. His company made more than 50 documentary films. These films were about different groups of people and places around the world.

Telling Important Stories

Michael Hagopian became famous for his films. He even received two Emmy nominations. An Emmy is a very important award for television and film. He got these nominations for his film The Forgotten Genocide. This was the first full-length movie about the Armenian genocide. The Armenian genocide was a terrible event where many Armenians lost their lives.

To make this film, Michael spent 20 years researching. He also interviewed almost 400 people who had witnessed the events. His film helped many people learn about this important part of history.

In 1979, Michael started a group called the Armenian Film Foundation. This group works to save and share the stories of people who lived through the Armenian Genocide. They collect videos and personal histories.

Michael continued to make important films. In 2004, his documentary "Germany and the Secret Genocide" won an award. It won at the US International Film & Video Festival.

Another one of his films was "The River Ran Red." A special showing of this film happened on October 24, 2008. This was just four days after Michael's 95th birthday! The film opened the Eighth Annual Arpa International Film Festival in Hollywood, California.

Other Awards and Honors

Michael Hagopian received several other awards for his important work:

• Arpa Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honored his many years of great filmmaking.
• Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award, 2006. This award is given to people who help others.
• Jewish World Watch's 'I Witness' Award. This award recognized his efforts to share stories of difficult times.

Filmography

Here are some of the films Michael Hagopian made:

• The Witnesses Trilogy
  • California Armenians: The First Generation
  • The Art of Traditional Armenian Cooking
• Soviet Boy
• African Girl-Malobi (1960)
• Africa is My Home (1960)