From their beginning in ancient Mesopotamia until their present day existence in the Middle East, the Assyrians, Chaldeans and Syriac Christians have managed to survive despite many difficulties. Today their survival is severely threatened. During a journey through Iraq, Turkey, Syria, the USA and Europe, their story is told by Specialists, Patriarchs and singers.

The Chaldo-Assyrians, one of the first peoples to convert to Christianity, still speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus. Members of the Chaldean, Assyrian, Syriac Orthodox or Syriac Catholic Churches, these refugees from Iraq, Turkey, Syria or Iran claim to be descendants of the peoples of ancient Mesopotamia. Rejected from the Universal Church at the 5th century, they were the first to evangelise China and Mongolia during the Golden Age of the Arabic Empire.
In 1915, together with the Armenians, they were victims of a genocide and many fled to Europe and the United States.
There are still around 700 000 Chaldo-Assyrians in Iraq today and the Assyrian Democratic Movement is working to help to maintain their culture. Nowadays they are threatened by Islamic extremists, and in fleeing toward Western countries they run the risk of loosing the culture and traditions that they have managed to preserve until now.
They are known under various names : Syriacs, Arameans, Suryoyo, Jacobites, Nestorians, etc.

Written and Directed by Robert Alaux (France)
Duration: 53 minutes

THE LAST ASSYRIANS, Belgium, 2003-2004

DIRECTOR: Robert ALAUX
AUTHOR: Robert ALAUX
FORMAT : DV Cam
DIFFUSION FORMAT: Digital Beta 4/3 MONO
DURATION : 53 minutes
VERSIONS : French, English
TYPE : documentary

PRODUCTION : Lieurac Productions, KTO, Telessonne

PARTICIPATION : Centre National de la Cinématographie.

DISTRIBUTION : ARTE France distribution

DVD : French, English - PAL & NTSC

DVD on sale (19 euros)
http://assyrianmarket.com/the-last-assyrians.html