Without Gorky

Without Gorky is a personal journey into a powerful family tragedy. At the centre of the film are the conversations between the director, Cosima, and her grandmother, Mougouch. The whole family has been shaped by the legacy left by Cosima's grandfather: the Abstract Expressionist painter Arshile Gorky. His suicide in 1948 still echoes and disturbs the family's relationships. While Mougouch, looks back at her time with Gorky, their daughters, Maro and Natasha, revisit painful childhood memories. Gorky was an elusive character who escaped the Armenian genocide and reinvented himself as a romantic artist in New York in the 30s. He struggled as a painter until he found in Mougouch the emotional support he needed to flourish. Their relationship was passionate and inspiring to begin with, but the pressure of two small children and no money soon put a huge strain on them. In 1947 he was struck by a series of tragedies that led to suicide. This film takes you through the pain and courage of the family, coming to an emotional climax in Gorky's birthplace: Lake Van, former Armenia.
　　—Cosima Spender