News___________________  

                   Fred Piegonski, Executive Assistant to the President  
        Los Angeles City College, 855 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90029 
                    (323) 953-4000  ext. 2243     piegonfg@lacitycollege.edu                            

                For Immediate Release:  April 5, 2006

David Alpay, Star of "Ararat," to Appear at LA City College for April 23 Reception  to Commemorate Armenian Genocide  

Canadian actor David Alpay will be the guest of honor at a special reception held at LA City College on April 23, following a screening of the film "Ararat," in which he plays the lead role. The reception is part of a commemorative program being held to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide.

The LA City College Foundation is presenting this educational screening of Atom Egoyan’s 2002 film “Ararat,” and the reception for Mr. Alpay at 4 p.m. at LACC’s Camino Theatre, located at 855 N. Vermont Avenue in East Hollywood. Steve Maradian, president of LACC, who is also a cosponsor of the event, noted that the afternoon’s program is being held in recognition and understanding of the Armenian Genocide, which occurred in Turkey in the early part of this century and in which approximately 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives.

The event will serve as a fundraiser to set up scholarships for Armenian students in the field of theatre and cinema/TV at the college. After the film screening, a buffet reception will be held in the adjacent Caminito Theatre and attendees will have the opportunity to meet Mr. Alpay. For tickets and reservations, call the LACC Foundation at (323) 953-4011.

Critics have called “Ararat” one of Atom Egoyan’s most provocative films to date. The film depicts the estranged members of a contemporary Armenian family who are faced both with Turkey’s denial of their catastrophic past and with their own complicated present.

In the film, Mr. Alpay portrays a young man, Raffi, who, after being interrogated by a customs officer, recounts how his life was changed during the making of a film about the Armenian genocide. A resident of Toronto, Mr. Alpay has appeared in a number of movies and TV teleplays since his debut in “Ararat.” The film also features actors Charles Aznavour, Eric Bogosian and Christopher Plummer.

This program is one in a series of educational and cultural progams the college offers in an effort to understand and bring focus to the diversity found on the campus.

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