La Masseria Delle Allodole

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La Masseria Delle Allodole is a 2007 Italian film directed by Taviani brothers about the Armenian Genocide.

Paz Vega as Nunic

[edit] Plot

Nunic seconds before being decapitated for an escape attempt

The story tells about Avakian clan, an Armenian family living in Turkey and having two houses. The Avakians feel convinced that the rising tide of Turkish hostility on the horizon means little to them and will scarcely affect their day to day. Avakians don't pay attention to the warning signs, and set about preparing for a family reunion with the impending visit of two well-to-do sons - landowner Aram, who resides in Turkey, and Assadour, a physician living in Venice. These illusions come crashing down when a Turkish military regiment crops up at the house, annihilates every male member of the family and forces the ladies to trek off into the Syrian desert, where they will be left to rot. With them goes one of the little boys of the family, who was dressed into a girl in order not to be killed. Meanwhile, a handsome Turkish officer (Alessandro Preziosi) falls in love for Aram's daughter and makes an aggressive attempt to deliver her and her family from certain death, even as the circumstances surrounding him attest to the astounding difficulty of it.