Arpa International Film Festival Celebrates its 27th Year

Director of “Vigen in Berlin” Aviva Barkhourdarian with Sylvia Minassian and Nona Melkonian

HOLLYWOOD—Arpa International Film Festival celebrated yet another year of extraordinary story telling from independent filmmakers across the globe. In its 27^th year, the festival continues to shine and make a positive impact on the power of independent cinema.

Arpa IFF, a branch of the nonprofit Arpa Foundation for Film, Music, and Art, celebrates diverse international talent in the heart of Hollywood. The festival creates a dynamic forum for international cinema, with a special focus on filmmakers who explore issues such as multiculturalism, war, exile, diaspora, dual identity, and environmentalism.

Through film screenings, panel discussions, networking events, and closing night awards ceremonies, the festival bridges cultural divides and fosters dialogue among different ethnicities, cultures, and lifestyles. Whether presented through feature films, documentaries, shorts, animation, or music videos, these works showcase the vibrant world of independent cinema.

Throughout the years, many industry icons have graced the Arpa International Film Festival’s galas as honorees, presenters, emcees, special award recipients, jury members and film enthusiasts. The festival has  generated  the participation of  giants in the cinematic arena such as Howard Kazanjian, Hank Moonjean, Mardik Martin, Cheech Marin, Vivica A. Fox, Frances Fisher, Atom Egoyan, Serj Tankian, Tippi Hedren, Edward James Olmos, and many others.This year, the festival showcased over 100 films from 25 countries on the digital streaming platform Eventive and at in-person screenings, of note Director Eric Nazarian’s Die Like a Man, which follows Freddy, a 17-year-old facing a moral choice in gang violence, exploring masculinity and gun culture through an authentic Los Angeles lens.

Nazarian also created a film literacy and filmmaking social impact program by training and employing system-impacted youth and Angelenos as a deterrent to gun and gang violence.  The film was recently acquired by Gravitas Ventures and is set for a 2025 global release.

Just like Women in Filmmaking, the festival has honored, women have also played important roles in organizing the annual festival. Sylvia Minassian, AFFMA’s founder, tirelessly promotes independent filmmakers. Sonia Keshishian serves as the festival’s jury liaison, and Maral Kazazian is the festival director, these women recognize and celebrate cultural diversity across the globe ensuring that women’s voices are represented. The Arpa International Film Festival values and celebrates independent global filmmakers. As storytellers, they inspire and shine a spotlight on creative freedom.

The 27th Annual Arpa international Festival was celebrated at the Harmony Gold Theater in Hollywood, CA, from October 25 to 27, 2024 offering our film loving community a unique opportunity to discover new films and talent. The incredible roster of the festival’s honorees and recipients of Arpas prestigious awards included Danny Trejo, George Pennacchio, Michael A. Goorjian, Roxanne Medina Cantor, Gabriele Fabbro.

Another highlight of the festival was the inspiring and creative discussion of WOMEN In FILMMAKING Panel, with filmmaker /actress Mary Apick, the legendary actress Diana Baker, and gifted producer Valerie McCaffrey discussing their experiences and unveiling their upcoming projects.

The awards ceremony was hosted by filmmaker and beauty/fashion world personality Diana Madison. The award recipients Michael Goorjian received career achievement award, Roxanne Medina Cantor visionary award, Danny Trejo Icon award, Gabriel Fabbro Rising Star Award, which highlighted the festival’s global appeal in continuing its support to leading and upcoming artists.

The 2024 Arpa International Film Festival Awards Winners:

• Best Feature Narrative: “Here’s Yianni!” — Directed by Christina Eliopoulos (United States);
• Best Director: “Here’s Yianni!” — Directed by Christina Eliopoulos (United States);
• Best Screenplay: “Wages of Sin” — Directed by Victor Rios (United States);
• Best Feature-Length Documentary (Tie): “Jewel of the Desert” — Directed by Mary Apick (United States); “Sunflowers in the Rain” — Directed by Aaron MacCarley (United States);
• Best Music Video: “Anguish as a Second Language” — Directed by Denise Gentilini (United States);
• Best Short Documentary: “Driving the Green Book” — Directed by Mike De Caro (United States);
• Best Animated Film: “The Song of Flying Leaves” — Directed by Armine Anda (Armenia);
• Best Short Films (Tie): “One Note” — Directed by Jamie Ting (United States); “The Last Take” — Directed by Brian Foyster (United States).

“Jewel of the Desert,” a documentary by Mary Apick, screened on Sunday and won Best Feature-Length Documentary. The film follows a brass band of retirees who, despite lacking professional experience, passionately pursue music. During the Q&A, Apick introduced her mother, Apick Youssefian, and shared, “This film was an opportunity to capture these musicians; they all have hearts of gold. When they play their instruments, they come alive.”

“Missak and Melinee Manouchian,” a documentary by Katia Guiragossian from France, received the Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award. Another notable entry, “Vigen, Berlin and the Cold War,” produced by Aviva Barkhourdarian and Norik Keshishian, explores the life of the filmmaker’s father, an Armenian migrant in Germany during the Cold War. The film was nominated for Best Documentary and received a Mayor’s Commendation from the City of Glendale, CA.

To relive the magic of last year’s successful festival, Arpa IFF, with its vibrant and innovative team, is already at work for its 28^th year, planning, organizing and collaborating, to make sure our indie film community continues to have an authentic viewing experience.   Film submissions will soon open on FilmFreeway.

Arpa’s mission is to unite diverse people and cultures through the arts, believing in film’s power to inspire, entertain, and create change. As a nonprofit organization, all financial support helps continue championing global independent filmmakers in Hollywood.