Whatever Dreams They Had: Film Screening and Discussion

Join Atlanta History Center and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for a film screening and panel discussion on filmmaker Stephanie Ayanian’s newest work, Whatever Dreams They Had. Admission is complimentary, but reservations are required.

This screening will take place in Kennedy Theatre inside of Atlanta History Center. Please use the front entrance to access the screening.

Immigrants and refugees escaping the atrocities in Syria often arrive in America with no support and little knowledge of how to navigate the complex systems in a foreign, English-speaking country. A tiny fraction in Los Angeles are lucky enough to meet an Armenian-Catholic priest named Father Armenag. An immigrant himself, he is troubled by memories of the family members he lost to ISIS, and quietly carries his grief as he tirelessly works to aid new arrivals and secure their lives in America.

Promotional language provided by the production company.

Stephanie Ayanian is the producer and co-director of “Whatever Dreams They Had.” Her feature documentary “What Will Become of Us” was broadcast on PBS stations across the country and in film festivals, including the Black Maria Film Festival. It follows Armenian Americans as they navigate the 100th Anniversary of the Genocide and strive to forge identities for the next century. Her films have been Official Selections of Munich International, Seattle International, Napa Valley, and Slamdance film festivals.

Joseph Myers co-directed “Whatever Dreams They Had.” His body of documentary film work covers topics including domestic violence, human rights law, cultural survival, and sustainability. Joe’s work has been seen on PBS, WORLD, NETA, APT, and the Discovery Networks among others. Some honors include Mid-Atlantic National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy awards, festival awards, and multiple selections for the INPUT international public television meeting. Joe is a fellow of the CPB/PBS Producer’s Academy. He also works as a storytelling consultant to lawyers and is an accomplished inventor and product designer. Joe believes that good stories change people.