Armenian Film Festival Marks 10 Years in Glendale
Photo courtesy Urbanite LA /Producer Sev Ohanian, director Madeline Sharafian (“Elio”) and Karren Karagulian (“Anora”) were the first to be inducted into the Armenian Film Society’s newly established “Hall of Fame.”
Armenian Film Festival Marks 10 Years in Glendale
The Armenian Film Society marked its 10th anniversary with a five-day festival that drew international audiences and Hollywood luminaries.
The nonprofit organization, founded in 2015 by Armen and Mary Karaoghlanian, held its 2025 Armenian Film Festival from Sept. 3-7 across three Glendale venues: the Alex Theatre, The Americana at Brand and Vertigo. The festival attracted audiences from Armenia, Australia, Canada and beyond.
Opening night featured the Los Angeles premiere of “Monsieur Aznavour,” starring César Award winner Tahar Rahim as legendary singer Charles Aznavour. More than 1,000 attendees packed the Alex Theatre, one day before the landmark venue’s 100th anniversary. Aznavour’s daughters, Seda and Katia, made a surprise appearance to introduce the film.
The festival showcased international premieres alongside emerging voices through short film programs including “Around the World,” “Made in Armenia” and the debut “Student Filmmakers” category. The Los Angeles premiere of “Words Left Unspoken,” a documentary about stutterer-turned-international speaker Joze Piranian, was among the highlighted screenings.
The closing day delivered marquee programming on Sept. 7, when acclaimed producer Sev Ohanian sat down with Academy Award-nominated director Ryan Coogler for an in-depth conversation about their collaboration. Coogler, who directed “Fruitvale Station,” “Creed,” “Black Panther” and this year’s box office hit “Sinners,” discussed his work with the Armenian-American producer.
The festival concluded with the organization’s first-ever gala, honoring actor Karren Karagulian (“Anora”), director Madeline Sharafian (“Elio”) and Ohanian, who became the inaugural inductee into the Armenian Film Society’s newly established Hall of Fame. Coogler presented the honor to his longtime collaborator.
Over the past decade, the Armenian Film Society has partnered with cultural institutions including Vidiots, American Cinematheque and the Academy Museum. The organization has welcomed filmmakers such as Atom Egoyan, Howard Kazanjian, Joe Manganiello, Mardik Martin and Sean Baker.
The society aims to build a lasting cultural hub for Armenian and underrepresented stories in film while positioning Glendale as a global cinema destination.
