HOLLYWOOD—The big buzz is on at Hollywood’s prominent independent film festival, Sundance, where past Arpa honorees headlined the festival this year.
Arpa International Film Festival is honored to have recognized several talented filmmakers in the cinematic arena, whether in the field of producing, directing, screenwriting or acting. These diverse group of individuals are shining this year with successful projects such as past Arpa honoree and Academy Award winning documentarian Joe Berlinger, who directed the Ted Bundy biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” starring Zac Efron, Lilly Collins, and Angela Sarafyan, along with an amazing cast of Hollywood’s A-listers.
Longtime Arpa supporter, and juror Ara Keshishian, the President of Mad River productions, is the producer of this most anticipated film of 2019. The film was one of the biggest sales of Sundance, selling for a whopping 9 million dollars to Netflix. Berlinger also directed the documentary “Conversation with a Killer; The Ted Bundy Tapes,” which is currently on Netflix.
Arpa’s 2014 Rising Star award recipient Angela Sarafyan continues to shine not only with her part of the Sundance success story in “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” but this talented actress also stars in the HBO hit series “Westworld,” as well as last year’s compelling film “The Promise.”
Other successful stories that have come out of the Sundance Film Festival include screenwriter/producer and Arpa’s Rising Star Award recipient Sev Ohanian, whose film “Searching” received the Audience Award last year and went on to be a huge worldwide hit for Sony Pictures.
Natalie Quasabian, Arpa’s 21st Annual Film Festival’s Rising Star award recipient also co-produced the film “Searching,” and is currently co-producing the film “Run” starring Sarah Paulson for Lionsgate films.
Arpa International Film Festival takes great pride in promoting independent filmmakers to flourish in the cinematic arena and to shine a light on all of these success stories. The Festival looks forward to having many more in the future.
Work is underway for the 22nd Annual Arpa International Film Festival which will take place at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood on October 25 – 26 – 27. Once again the Festival will showcase a diverse tapestry of global cinema with a broad selection of films that cultivate cultural understanding and empathy.
Film submissions will be open at Film Freeway on February 26, 2019. For more information, visit Arpa’s website.