WASHINGTON, DC – SCREAMERS, the documentary about the Grammy-award winning band “System Of A Down’s” campaign to end the cycle of genocide, will be screened on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 on Capitol Hill before a Congressional audience. The event is hosted by Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Save Darfur, the ANCA Endowment, and the Raffy Manoukian Charity and will conclude with a discussion with film Director Carla Garapedian and special guests.

“We are excited to see that SCREAMERS is debuting in our nation’s capitol, ensuring that its message is received by Capitol Hill,” said Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) Executive Director Antranig Kzirian. “Furthermore, the SCREAMERS debut in other cities around the country is encouraging, as it demonstrates the broad audience that will have access to the film’s powerful vision.”

On December 22, 2006, the ANCA-WR held a press conference outside Laemmle Theatre in Encino, California, where Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Director Carla Garapedian called for an end to the cycle of genocide. Congressman Sherman delivered powerful remarks, speaking against the ongoing genocide in Darfur and noting that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is the first step to bringing an end to the cycle of genocide.

Also in December of last year, the ANCA-WR provided an opportunity for various youth groups and students to view SCREAMERS. A group of high school students from Watts, Los Angeles attended a screening of the movie. The students’ attendance was made possible by a generous grant from the ANCA-WR. The tenth graders watched the movie as part of a week-long curriculum that focused on crimes against humanity in the 20th century and the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

Thanking the ANCA-WR for its donation of tickets to the AGBU-Generation Next program, Director Ara Arzumanian noted, “Our mentees and mentors really appreciated the chance to see SCREAMERS. We always love giving our participants an opportunity to do something that is interesting, educational and deals with Armenian culture.”

“It is very important to give the youth this opportunity to see the documentary. They may know about genocide and may have read books about it, but the documentary is a vivid sensory experience that reminds us all to take a stand against genocide,” stated Nishan Bostanian, Chairman of the ANC of West San Fernando Valley.

SCREAMERS debuted at the American Film Institute Film Festival on November 2nd in Los Angeles and won the AFI Audience Award. On hand for the opening were Garapedian, “System Of A Down” band members Serj Tankian, John Dolmayan and Shavo Odadjian, producers Pete McAlevey and Tim Swain, sponsor Raffy Manoukian of the Raffy Manoukian Charity and a host of genocide recognition and prevention activists from the ANCA, Save Darfur, and other groups. The film, distributed by Maya Entertainment, is currently playing in the Los Angeles area and will open on January 26th in New York City, Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago and Detroit.

To learn more about System of a Down’s Armenian Genocide recognition advocacy tour in Washington, DC earlier this April: http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=945

To RSVP for the screening, please contact the ANCA at shooshan@anca.org or (202) 742-8703.