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Interview: Making life choices through acting

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  • Interview: Making life choices through acting

    The Korea Herald, South Korea
    Sept 4 2014

    [Herald Interview] Making life choices through acting


    Simon Abkarian, a French-Armenian actor who played Col. Amanulla in
    "Kaboul Kitchen," flew from the ongoing Venice International Film
    Festival to receive the grand prize at the Seoul International Drama
    Awards. It is his first visit to Korea.

    Reflecting on his diverse roles in films, TV dramas and plays over the
    past 30 years, the 52-year-old actor said he considers two things when
    selecting a drama.

    "First, we actors have to work and make a living, at least for me,"
    said Abkarian. "But second, and more important, I choose the work
    where I can be faithful to what I believe in and be able to defend the
    work and not run away from it. I cannot betray what I believe in."

    As an actor, Abkarian likes to make choices when they are available
    to him, just as he chose to star in "Kaboul Kitchen," which he says
    depicts an environment in which two cultures meet -- a French
    restaurant run by an ex-journalist in the war-torn city of Kabul,
    Afghanistan.

    "It is a clash of cultures between the East and the West, where people
    who don't know each other and are from different backgrounds learn to
    live together in a war situation," he said.

    But the film also talks about journalism, said the actor: "Just like
    in many countries around the world, journalism has lost much credit in
    France. But people still want to see journalists doing real jobs of
    investigation and searching for truth. When viewers see that, they
    have hopes for the future.

    "You realize, it becomes heroic in today's circumstances to tell the
    truth as a journalist, and bring the news out, battling between the
    money and power."

    He also worked with director Fatih Akin very recently in the drama
    film "The Cut," centering on the Armenian genocide during World War I,
    which is competing for the Golden Lion at the Venice International
    Film Festival. Being of Armenian descent himself, working on the film
    was very meaningful for him.

    "As an artist, I like to make choices," he said. "It is true that I
    cannot carry all the world's problems on my shoulders, but I can make
    choices to stand for the people who don't have voices, who are not
    visible, and tell their stories."

    Actors can give voice to the unheard and the forgotten, said Abkarian:
    "I write and direct plays as well to create my own vision in this
    world by expressing my freedom."

    "But I am not always serious," he continued. "I also like to have fun,
    so it is a good balance between humor and being political."

    Upon his visit to Korea, he watched many Korean films, including "Old
    Boy" by Park Chan-wook.

    "Korean cinema practices art with great freedom and with artistic
    madness," said the actor. Abkarian thinks that many Korean films
    beautifully blend modern and ancient themes well. "If I do get a
    chance, it would be a lot of fun to take part in Korean films, if I
    can learn the language fast enough," said the actor, who already
    speaks five languages -- French, English, Armenian, Turkish and Arabic.

    "I am not afraid of learning new languages because communicating is so
    important for me," he said. "When I go to new countries, I always do
    two things: visit (the dining) table and the stage. Since I had good
    Korean food last night, I would like to see pansori (Korean
    traditional opera)."

    Asked why he became an actor, he couldn't answer promptly, though.

    "But I knew one thing. I love people and that is why I am acting. It
    is important how you represent your people -- not only Armenians or
    Koreans -- but humanity in general. There are no racial, social
    boundaries to love everyone."


    By Ahn Sung-mi ([email protected])
    http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud140904001133

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