April 20, 2009 - 18:43 AMT
Yerevan hosted "Prior to the Auction of Souls" graphic novel presentation
Yerevan hosted a presentation of "Prior to the Auction of Souls" graphic novel, revealing the young girl's survival story and giving detailed account of the terrible experiences she endured during the Armenian Genocide.

In 1918, at Metro Goldwin Mayer studio, director Oscar Apfel made a silent film "Auction of Souls", which actually became the first genocide movie ever made.

The silent movie was based on the published memoirs of a survivor. More than 10.000 Armenian residents of Southern California, including 200 deported children, participated in the scenes. The film is especially remarkable due to the fact that Arshaluys Mardiganian, the author of the original book in Armenian, played the leading role.

Tigran Mangasaryan's artwork is simply another adaptation of the memoirs. The publication was dated to the 90th anniversary of the movie.

According to editor, publisher and sponsor Sosy Kevonian, the book was published in English to raise Armenian Genocide awareness among foreign readers.