Michael Hagopian’s “Strangers in a Promised Land” was recently digitally remastered and was screened at The Vineyards-California Armenian Home. Fresno State Armenian Studies Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian was invited to give an introduction for the film and to discuss the film with guests after the screening.

Narrated by former California Governor George Deukmejian, “Strangers in a Promised Land” includes, among others, the story of artists such as William Saroyan and Varaz Samuelian; the Seropian family, who were among the first Armenians to arrive in the region; Malcolm Markarian, the “fig king” of America; and the Bedrosians and Pakchoians, who became leaders in the raisin industry.

The Armenian Film Foun-dation spearheaded the project to update the 1984 documentary, which is the only film today on the Armenians of the San Joaquin Valley.