Surviving on the Richter Scale

When a natural disaster strikes, it can be difficult to see anything positive in the aftermath. Loss of life, property, and stability can leave those affected feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. However, sometimes, in the midst of the chaos and destruction, there are glimpses of hope and inspiration that serve as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. In her documentary “Surviving on the Richter Scale,” Araz Artinian explores just that.

“Surviving on the Richter Scale” tells the stories of 11 survivors of the 1988 Armenian earthquake, also known as the Spitak earthquake. The earthquake, which measured a 6.8 on the Richter scale, struck the city of Leninakan, now called Gyumri, in Armenia on December 7, 1988. The disaster killed an estimated 25,000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

Despite the devastating loss, Artinian’s documentary focuses on the survivors’ stories of hope and inspiration. One such story is that of Martin Pashayan, a French teacher in Armenia. Pashayan witnessed the death of his students when the earthquake shattered his classroom. He went home to find his wife and children dead among the debris. Overwhelmed with depression and sorrow, he found the will to live by translating for French physicians during rescue missions and returning to teaching. First, in tents, and then in the new French School of Gyumri, Pashayan’s story is just one of the many stories in the film that provides hope for those still devastated by the earthquake.

Artinian’s interest in the project dates back to when she and her father, an architect, would collect articles published in newspapers about the earthquake. For ten years, she carried the images from the news clippings of her fellow Armenians suffering. In her final year at Concordia University, she decided to use her archive in her basement as the basis for her research and put together this documentary.

The 44-minute documentary was the culmination of seven months of research, one month of interviewing and filming in Armenia, and 12 months of post-production. Despite its relatively short length, the film has received numerous awards and accolades, including Best Documentary at the 29th Montreal Student Film Festival, a Silver Hugo at the 35th Chicago International Film and Video Festival, and a Bronze Plaque at the 47th Columbus International Film and Video Festival in Ohio.

One of the most striking things about “Surviving on the Richter Scale” is Artinian’s ability to emphasize the positive aspects of the survivors’ lives over the negative. The film is not just a chronicle of the disaster, but a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss.

In addition to the stories of individual survivors, the film also provides insight into the ways in which the earthquake affected the Armenian people as a whole. It touches on the political and social issues that arose in the aftermath of the disaster and highlights the resilience of the Armenian people in the face of adversity.

“Surviving on the Richter Scale” is not an easy film to watch. The devastation and loss depicted in the documentary are heart-wrenching. However, it is a necessary and important film that reminds us of the importance of hope and resilience in the face of tragedy.