War drama

Ararat (2002): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Name: Ararat
Genre: Drama, War
Released: 2002-11-15
Duration: 1 h 55 min
Cast: Charles Aznavour, Brent Carver

Ararat is a 2002 war drama directed by Atom Egoyan, starring Charles Aznavour and Brent Carver. It runs 1 hour 55 minutes and earned $2.7 million worldwide on a $15.5 million budget. Critics gave it 55% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10.

IMDb rating: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 55%
worldwide gross: $2.7M
Metascore: 62

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Released: November 15, 2002
Runtime: 1h 55m (115 min)
Director: Atom Egoyan
Genres: Drama , War
Original language: English
Studio: Miramax Films
Budget: $15.5M
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Ararat About?

The premise of Ararat without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A filmmaker sets out to create a film about the Armenian genocide that occurred during World War I. The project becomes a deeply personal exploration as he researches his family's history and the tragic events that impacted them. Through a blend of documentary footage and fictionalized scenes, he seeks to remember the victims and confront the complexities of identity, memory, and the possibility of redemption.

Ararat Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

armenian
armenia
genocide
art history professor
armenian flag
pomegranate
painting
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customs agent
ottoman empire
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+38 more

teenage boy
prayer
film set
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christian
wartime rape
homosexual
gay parent
filmmaking
canada
armenian deportation
rebel
deportation
reference to maxim gorky
crime against humanity
turkish history
representation
female rear nudity
female full frontal nudity
turkey
death
turk
art historian
painter
film within a film
customs officer
ottoman
lecture
year 1915
armenian culture
armenian history
armenian churches
ethnic hatred
button
one word title
writer
watching a movie
war wreckage

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Cast & crew

Ararat Cast

Charles Aznavour leads the cast, with Brent Carver. Directed by Atom Egoyan.

Director Atom Egoyan

From the director

More from Atom Egoyan

More films directed by Atom Egoyan, best-rated first: The Sweet Hereafter, Seven Veils, Felicia's Journey and Exotica.

Full filmography

Ratings

Ararat Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Ararat 55% on Rotten Tomatoes and 62 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.3/10.

IMDb

6.3 /10
See on IMDb
Rotten Tomatoes

55% Tomatometer

Popcornmeter 71%
See on Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

62 Metascore

User score 7.5
See on Metacritic
TMDB

61% User score
See on TMDB

Plot

Ararat Plot Summary

What happens in Ararat from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Brilliantly capturing the legacy of art and the weight of history, Ararat unfolds as a remarkably deep film exploring the profound lessons of the past and the healing power of creativity. At its heart lies the haunting story of the renowned painter Arshile Gorky, whose tragic life and the atrocities of the 1915 Armenian massacre intertwine with his artistic journey.

After Gorky’s heartbreaking suicide in 1948, his spirit manifests differently for various characters, symbolizing how deeply one’s legacy can affect others. In the realm of art, Gorky is celebrated as a pivotal figure of the twentieth century, standing alongside greats like Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko, whose masterpieces have shaped the Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism movements.

Full summary

The whole story of Ararat, scene by scene

Read the full summary

Timeline of events

Box office

Ararat Box Office & Budget

Ararat grossed $2.7 million worldwide on a $15.5 million budget, 18% of what it cost. $1.6 million came from the US and Canada and $1.2 million (43%) from the rest of the world.

2002 box office

Worldwide gross

$2.7M

18% of its budget back