ANCA-WR to Honor World-Renowned Filmmaker Jivan Avetisyan with “Advocacy in Cinema” Award at 2026 Annual Gala Banquet

The Armenian National Committee of America Western Region will present its “Advocacy in Cinema” Award to the Artsakh-raised filmmaker whose acclaimed features have carried the story of his homeland onto international screens despite considerable political pressure and censorship surrounding this subject matter.

LOS ANGELES, CA –  The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) announced that internationally award-winning film director Jivan Avetisyan will be honored with the organization’s 2026 “Advocacy in Cinema” Award at its highly anticipated Gala Banquet taking place on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles. The ANCA-WR “Advocacy in Cinema” Award is presented to an artist whose work carries the memory, identity, and story of Artsakh and the Armenian people to audiences around the world.

“Through his films, Jivan Avetisyan has done what so few in our community have had the platform to do – carry the story of Artsakh to audiences who might otherwise never hear it,” stated Oshin Harootoonian, Chairman of the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. “His work transcends cinema – it is testimony, preserved and shared so that the truth and memory of Artsakh can never be erased. His recognition as this year’s Advocacy in Cinema honoree reflects the vital role that art plays in our advocacy.”

Avetisyan’s story began in Gyumri, Armenia, where he was born, and continued in Artsakh, where he was raised and, by his own account, lived through three wars. That experience of displacement and loss became the foundation of his life’s work: using cinema to preserve what war would take from his people but not erase from memory. He is now based in Yerevan, where he serves as co-founder and CEO of Fish Eye Art Cultural Foundation and founder and CEO of LifeTree Pictures, LLC.

“I make films because I do not want Artsakh to disappear from the world’s memory,” said Avetisyan. “I do not want my people to become merely a chapter in a history book. I want their faces remembered, their voices heard, and their stories carried forward. Cinema cannot change the past or rebuild the homes we have lost, but it can preserve what must never be forgotten. And as long as I have a voice and a camera, I will continue to tell the story of Artsakh.”

Avetisyan is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents 2020, a participant in Cinelink Producers’ Lab 2024, and a voting member of the European Film Academy. He has directed more than ten documentaries and shorts, along with three internationally award-winning feature films – Tevanik (2014), The Last Inhabitant (2016), and Gate to Heaven (2019) – each produced as an international co-production and featuring international talent. His films have screened in AMC theaters across the United States and at festivals throughout Europe, while also encountering considerable political pressure and censorship because of their portrayal of Artsakh.

Avetisyan’s next feature, Revival, brings his signature blend of international co-production and urgent storytelling to a new frontier. Revival is billed as an epic exploration of war, memory, and what happens when technology built to heal is turned into a weapon. Avetisyan and his team have several additional projects in development, including the feature films Black List Angels 2020 and 5000 Years, 9 Months, 10 Days, the animated Baa’bel, and the television miniseries The Stateless Diplomat.

Avetisyan’s recognition as ANCA-WR’s “Advocacy in Cinema” honoree underscores the organization’s commitment to honoring artists who preserve the memory, identity, and story of Artsakh on the world stage. By celebrating his work, the ANCA-WR reaffirms the vital role that cinema and culture play in securing a safer, more just future for Armenians in the Homeland and the Diaspora alike.

The 2026 ANCA-WR Gala Banquet will bring together hundreds of community leaders, public officials, and grassroots supporters for an evening celebrating advocacy and impact. For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and additional event information, please visit www.ancawr.org/gala 2026