Part of Doc Spotlight. Additional showtimes will be posted on Mon, Sep 18.

At only 14 years old, Arshaluys Mardiganian (“Aurora”) lost everything during the horror of the Armenian genocide. Two years later, through luck and extraordinary courage, she escaped to New York, where her story became a media sensation. Starring as herself in AUCTION OF SOULS, an early Hollywood blockbuster, Arshaluys Mardiganian (“Aurora”) became the face of one of the largest charity campaigns in American history. With a blend of vivid animation, interviews with Aurora herself, and 18 minutes of surviving footage from her lost silent epic, AURORA’S SUNRISE revives a forgotten story of survival.

“This standout documentary combines archival footage and animated re-enactments to share one survivor’s memories... The film’s coherence is a reflection of both the skill of the filmmaker, and the heroic efforts of Aurora herself to ensure that her view of history would not be forgotten.” —Teo Bugbee, Critic’s Pick, New York Times

“Both chronicles a horrendously dark chapter in the world but also speaks to the value of filmmaking in the first place… A reminder that film doesn't just record history, it can transport us through it. ” —Brian Tallerico, rogerebert.com

“Director Inna Sahakyan’s poetic and deeply moving documentary that recreates Mardiganian’s harrowing tale in ways that Hollywood could never imagine.” —Pat Mullen, POV Magazine