It took almost three years to produce, involving more than fifty Assyrian volunteers who, along with producer Ramsin Edward and directors Jessi Arabou and Ramy Jajo, travelled around six countries in the Middle East and Europe for filming.
It was premiered at the Hoyts Cinema, Wetherill Park and screened at the University of Sydney.
SBS Assyrian was invited to the Sydney University screening and third screening at Hoyts.
Archeologist and a major film contributor, Ms Nineveh Yakou, opened with a speech about the documentary's beginnings and its goals. She said, "in this documentary, we are building the bridge that connects our ancestors to today's Assyrians."
SBS Assyrian spoke with audiences at the screenings to hear their views and reactions to the documentary.
Nineveh Yakou Source: ACSYA.jpg
The University of Sydney screening was coordinated by the Assyrian Australian Students Association (AASA) and invited Sydney based academics, university students and writers across Sydney.
SBS Assyrian spoke with Dr. Christopher Coady, who is a senior lecturer in Musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and attended the University of Sydney screening. He told SBS:
This film helped me realise how much Assyrians have been erased from public awareness
When asked why he attended this session, he said that he is supervising an Assyrian student who is doing a PhD in Contemporary Assyrian music at the Sydney Conservatorium. He came to watch the documentary to have a better understanding about the Assyrians.
Dr. Coady said that he was a "little bit speechless" about how much he has to learn about the Assyrians. For Coady, the documentary helped him "realise how much Assyrians have been erased from public awareness and from the historical record."
Senior lecturer Dr Christopher Caudy Source: SBS Assyrian
Dr. Daniel Tower is an engineer and holds a PhD in religious studies. His work focuses on the intersection between the anthropology of religion and the geography of conflict, and has travelled to Iraq several times for research.
When asked about his view of the documentary. Dr Tower said “this film is a historical overview that provides footing for further discussion, a footing for a discussion that’s never really been, had in a way that has had any legitimacy.”
Dr Daniel Tower Source: AASA.jpg
President of the Assyrian Australian Students Association (AASA), Richard Yalda thanked ACSYA for giving AASA the opportunity to show the film to Assyrian students. He spoke about the association's role as a platform for uniting Assyrian students across Australia.
Vice President of AASA, Barseen Oshana said "this documentary is important for the youth because it gives a meaning for our identity."
President of AASA Richard Yalda Source: AASA.jpg
ASAA vice president Barseen Oshana Source: ACSYA.jpg
ACSYA screened the documentary at Hoyts Cinema for the third time.
After the screening, SBS Assyrian met with Assyrian activist Mr Albert Shlemon JP. He spoke about the challenges ACSYA faced but managed to overcome in making this film.
He said "the film cost between $30-50,000, but without the wonderful work of over 50 volunteers, the cost would have reached at least $300,000."
The aim of this production is to make a documentary about Assyrian history from an Assyrian perspective.
Albert Shlemon(right) with Mayor frank Carbone and members of Fairfield council and of ADM Source: ACSYA.jpg
This production by ACSYA is a pride for the Assyrian nation and it should be shown on SBS television.
Archaeologist and president of Assyrian Aid Society-Australia (AASA), June Ishtar Jako, who attended the screening for the third time said "this time I am attending as a guest and I thank ACSYA for the invitation. This film is an important document to be studied by academics, researchers and scholars, because it looks at the Assyrian history in a way never been looked at before".
Mrs Jako’s comments were echoed by AASA activist Ms Shushan Tower. She said “this production of ACSYA is a pride for the Assyrian nation and it should be shown on SBS television."
June Jako and Shushan Tower Source: ACSYA.jpg
Mr Jajo said “the aim of this production is to make a documentary about Assyrian history from an Assyrian perspective, unlike other historical documentations or research by non-Assyrians, who write in their narratives and may not necessarily reflect the true essence of Assyrian nature."
Mr Jajo is a graduate from Sydney University, studied film production and has been in the industry for over ten years. He said he has made many short films for YouTube and social media, but this is the first time he was involved in such a big project.
He thanked producer Ramsin Edward, who travelled with him to France and the UK. "He put a lot of energy and effort into the film," Mr Jajo said.
Director Ramy Jajo Source: Acsya.jpg
ASSYRIA A.D. has already been screened in a few US states, Canada and northern Iraq.
The documentary will be streamed online at the end of May 2021.
As for what's next in the pipeline, Mr Jajo said "there is an exhibition [about the documentary] coming soon, and we are also planning to make a short film about the life of an Assyrian saint, Saint Mar Adai".
