Category: 2020

The 23rd Annual Arpa International Film Festival (Arpa IFF) announced its full lineup of selected films for this year.

The Arpa IFF, which in the past has originally taken place at historic theaters around Hollywood, will take place online this year. The Festival will run for an 11-day span in order to accommodate all of its planned screenings as a streaming virtual event from November 12 to 22,. This year’s Arpa IFF will once again highlight a diverse range of world cinema, 65 films from 19 countries that explore many contemporary issues.

For the last 23 years, this festival has brought film lovers and community members together to celebrate the art of film. During the selection process, the diligent team of festival programmers set aside time to meticulously select the finalists for this year’s official selection from a large pool of films received this year.

Feature Narrative Films 
ALEKSI (*) Feature, Drama, Comedy, Coming of Age 2019 directed by Barbara Vekaric, Croatia
LONE WOLVES Feature, Thriller, Crime, Drama 2019 directed by Sergi Arnau, Spain
MIN ALESH? Feature, Drama 2019 directed by Amleset Muchie, Ethiopia
OMAR AND US (*) Feature, Drama, Human Rights 2019 directed by Maryna Er Gorbach & Mehmet Bahadir Er, Turkey
ONCE UPON A JUDGMENT DAY Feature, Drama, Western 2020 directed by Mehmet Tanrisever, Turkey
RESPITE Feature, Action, Crime, Drama 2019 directed by Saro Varjabedian, USA
SCENT OF MY DAUGHTER Feature, Drama 2019 directed by Olgun Özdemir, Turkey, USA, France
SUBMISSION (*) Feature, Drama 2020 directed by Leonardo Antonio, Portugal
UNTIMELY (*) Feature, Drama 2020 directed by Pouya Eshtehardi, Iran

Feature-length Documentary Films 
AN ARMENIAN TRILOGY (*) Feature Doc, Armenian History, Music 2019 by Dan Yessian, USA
BLOODLESS: THE PATH TO DEMOCRACY (*) Feature Doc, History, Politics, Human Rights 2020 by Bared Maronian & Silva Basmajian, USA
BORN JUST NOW (*) Feature Doc, Performance Art, Women 2018 by Robert Adanto, USA
MIRACLE IN THE DESERT: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SALTON SEA Feature Doc, Environmentalism 2019 by Greg Bassenian, USA
QUO VADIS 2020 (*) Feature Doc 2019 by Gabriele Fabbro, USA
WHAT WILL BECOME OF US (*) Feature Doc, Armenian History, Diaspora 2020 by Stephanie Ayanian & Joseph Myers, USA

Short Documentary Films
CONFESSIONS OF A RUNNER (*) Short Doc, Sports, Addiction, Recovery 2020 by Bachar Khattar, Lebanon
FINISH LINE (*) Short Doc, Sport, Human Rights 2019 by Saeed Mayahy, Iran
FROM KURILS WITH LOVE (*) Short Doc, Adventure, Wildlife 2020 by Taylor Reese., USA
IN THE SAME DIRECTION: JEFF PIFHER & SOCRATES’ TRIAL Short Music Doc, Jazz 2020 by Alexander Craven, USA
JO & KESSY ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES Short Doc, Artists, Disability 2019 by Nwaye Zar Che Soe, France

Short Narrative Films 
38 MINUTES Short, Action, Drama 2020 directed by Paul Lacovara, USA
ALINA (*) Short, Drama, Thriller, Holocaust 2019 directed by Rami Kodeih, USA
ANEMONE Short, Drama, Sci-Fi, Action 2019 directed by Alessandro Marcon, Italy
BABU (*) Short, Drama, Family 2019 directed by Eelum Dixit, Nepal
BLACK HEART, RED HANDS (*) Short, Crime, Thriller, Drama 2019 directed by Russell Southam, Australia
DABUR Short, Drama 2019 directed by Saeid Nejati, Iran
DANDELION Short, Romance, Drama 2020 directed by Jörg Viktor Steins-Lauss, USA
DARK SENSES Short, Romance, Thriller, Mystery 2019 directed by Vaz Andreas, USA
EMME Short, Drama, Thriller, Neo Noir 2019 directed by Toshiki Yashiro, USA
FENCED Short, Drama 2019 directed by Rodrigo Zan, USA
FURTHEST FROM (*) Short, Drama, Family, Coming of Age 2019 directed by Kyung Sok Kim, USA
GIFTED Short, Romantic Comedy, Fantasy 2020 directed by Karina Weeks, USA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Short, Comedy, Drama, Thriller 2018 directed by Mustafa Toby Eck, USA
HEARTBEAT Short, Drama 2020 directed by Chi Wang, USA
LIFELESS Short, Drama 2020 directed by Elvira Sinelnik and Alex Fedosov, USA
MORA & CHENCHI Short, Drama, LGBTQ, Romance 2020 directed by Diego Toussaint, USA
PARADISE PROGRAM Short, Sci-Fi, LGBTQ, Romance 2019 directed by Shanshan Zhang, USA
RETURN (*) Short, Drama 2019 directed by Selman Deniz, Turkey, Armenia
SKITOZ Short, Drama 2020 directed by Alexis & Diego Perrotte, France
THAT STUPID ARMENIAN’S MOTION PICTURE SHOW OR GAREN Short, Comedy 2019 directed by Hrag Meguerditchian, Lebanon
THE ABJURANTS Short, Sci-Fi, Drama 2019 directed by Antonio De Palo, Italy
THE BLUE BED Short, Drama 2020 directed by Alireza Kazemipour, Canada
THE CRITIC (*) Short, Drama, Psychological, Thriller 2018 directed by Stella Velon, USA
THE FAVOR Short, Drama 2019 directed by Henry Bruno, France
THIS LAND (*) Short, Crime, Drama 2019 directed by Michael Aloyan, Armenia
THROWAWAY BOY Short, Drama 2019 directed by Michael A. Pickeney, USA
TWENTY EIGHTY Short, Drama, Fantasy, Human 2020 directed by Eunjoo Na, Korea
WEEKEND Short, Drama 2019 directed by Ario Motevaghe, Iran

Short Animated Films 
10000 UGLY INKBLOTS (*) Animation, Short 2020 by Dmitry Geller, China
ECHO Animation, Short, Drama, Environment 2020 by Barzan Rostami, Iran
GON, THE LITTLE FOX (*) Stop-Motion Animation, Drama, Fantasy 2019 by Takeshi Yashiro, Japan
HARVEST (*) Animation, Short 2018 by Sun Lijun, China
(*) MALAKOUT Animation, Fantasy 2019 by Farnoosh Abedi, Iran
THE ABANDONED BLOCK (*) Animation, Drama, Historic, Art 2020 by James Bourne, Canada
THE ROTATION Animation, Student 2020 by Hazhir As’adi, Iran
THE WINTER (*) Animation, Student 2020 Xin Li, by Australia
UNFRAMED Experimental Animation, Multimedia 2018 by Sona Yeghiazaryan, USA

Music Videos
SMASH AGAIN (*) Artist: CATALYST BARS & ALEXI Music Video, Dance, Pop, Rap 2019 directed by Alexi Papalexopoulos, USA
COVID BACH (*) Artist: ELIZABETH LEWIS Music Video, Animation, Classical 2020 directed by Elizabeth Lewis, Canada
A CHILD (*) Artist: HAMO ARZOUMANIAN Music Video, Armenian 2020 directed by Armen Poladian, Canada
ONLY LOVE (*) Artist: MANU HVALA Music Video, Pop 2020 directed by Manu Hvala, written and produced by Eric Bazilian , USA
GETAWAY TO KAOHSIUNG (*) Artist: NAMEWEE Music Video, Pop 2020 directed by Namewee, Taiwan

“It is important to stress that our focus is to support independent cinema which has inspired and sustained our festival globally. Since its inception, our festival’s future has always depended on the selfless acts of our community that continue to be our beacons of light, pushing forward diversity, innovation, creativity and vision to preserve our Festival,” said a press statement from Festival organizers.

“Our warmest gratitude once again to you all. We truly appreciate your love and support in standing with us during this difficult time. Stories are more important now than ever. We will transition and overcome the challenges together, celebrating the diverse array of films by unique voices that we are extremely excited about screening,” added the organizers.
The group also has assembled a group of volunteers to shepherd this year’s virtual events.

Programmer & Community Liaison
Silva Karageozian has lived in Southern California for most of her life. She is an alumna of UC Irvine and earned a Political Science degree. She worked in the environmental field in public relations. Later she earned a multiple subject credential and taught school in LA and Orange Counties. She left the classroom and joined Digital Networks where her work focused on the integration of technology in education. As a full time parent she became an active volunteer in her local community. This spirit of volunteerism led her back to her alma mater, where she aligned with the UCI Armenian Studies Program. She has worked to promote awareness and raise funds for Western Armenian language instruction and is co-chair of the Director’s Circle for Armenian Studies at UCI. She also chartered the UCI Armenian American Alumni Chapter. She loves classic movies and documentaries. Being part of the AFFMA and the Arpa International Film Festival is an exciting way to explore and examine intriguing and relevant topics through the medium of film. She is so honored to be part of the festival Programming Team this year!

Festival Advisor (Armenia Liaison)
Manvel Saribekyan, film producer Republic of Armenia. Founding Director of “Man Pictures” Studio. He is the author and producer of “The Map of Gratitude” and several other film projects produced by Man Pictures Studio. Author of the film idea and Producer of “The Fate and the Art”, “The Map of Salvation” produced by Man Pictures Studio.

Social Media Manager
As an Armenian-Venezuelan born and raised in Los Angeles, Lori Sinanian wears many hats that derive from her interest in the intersection of different modes of communicating. Sinanian holds a degree in English Literature from the University of California, Irvine.

Throughout her undergraduate career, she explored the various ways to use language to effectively communicate, such as through the Newport Beach Film Festival, Anteater Television, and Insight Magazine. Through her degree, she has obtained the power of the impact of words, but always with an eye for advocacy, storytelling, and social justice.

Graphic Design & Video Production Coordinator
Nick Talarico is a Cinema and Television Arts Student at California State University Northridge, focusing on Cinematography and Editing.

He is passionate about every aspect of the industry and loves working with others that share his love for filmmaking.

This passion was ultimately sparked when he first viewed the film “Back to the Future” as a child. Nick has since set his sights on being a part of the creative processes of filmmaking.

Video Production Coordinator
Hrag Meguerditchian is a Lebanese-Armenian born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Born into a Theatrical background, Hrag found his love for the performing arts since he was a child, watching plays and growing up in the backstage of theaters across Lebanon.

Indulged in Music at first, then finding himself in Cinema and achieving a degree in Film from the Lebanese University – Faculty Of Fine Arts and Architecture.

Hrag searches to find inspiration from Human Interaction and the intricacies of Human emotion. Focusing on becoming a Writer/Director, he wishes to make films till the end of his days.

Festival Advisor
Maria Elena Infantino is an International Singer and Actress. She graduated in acting in London at ALRA (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts) in 2010. Her debut was at the Royal Albert hall, singing for the 50th Beatles Anniversary, starring Dame Shirley Bassey. .That same year she was nominated for the 21st annual L.A. Music Awards as best International artist. Subsequently she created her one woman show on legendary Edith Piaf, which premiered in Los Angeles at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre, at the Lee Strasberg Institute, and subsequently at the Grammy Museum. Among the many successes that this show generated for Ms Infantino, was the inauguration on June 12th of the Piaf and Miles Davis USPS forever stamp, at the Rubin Museum in New York. She has been associate producer and actress in various independent films such as “The Admired” starring Jacqueline Murphy, and “Job’s daughter” with Corey Feldman, Eric Roberts and Doris Roberts, “The secret of joy,” ITV Yorkshire UKseries “Emmerdale” and more. Maria Elena is also on the board of charitable causes such as Caterina’s club founded by CNN hero chef Bruno Serato which feeds 5,000 unprivileged kids a day and Ranch hands rescue in Texas, which provides therapy for abused children and animals.

Production Coordinator
Marija Srdic is a Los Angeles based producer, artist, and brand ambassador. She has recently graduated from Bowling Green State University, where she obtained her degree in Musical Arts and Music Industry Business. Upon graduating, she has worked on Cleveland’s music and art scene as a part of ALOOF Recs. As a creative and event producer, talent and social media manager, Marija has also participated in developing art projects and concerts that promoted diversity and raised awareness of different social, mental, and environmental issues. Marija is pursuing her passion for the Music and Film production, while also sharing her piano knowledge of 18 years, and working closely with different brands.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee of Western United States announced the passing of veteran party member, activist, educator and leader Haigaz Terterian. He passed away on Sunday, August 23 in Los Angeles.

Throughout his storied career spanning Kessab, the community in Syria and Lebanon, as well as the Western U.S. Unger Terterian will mostly be remembered as a dedicated educator to countless generation of Armenians. He was a long-time teacher at the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School in Hollywood. While he held several leadership positions in the organization, Unger Terterian was true believer in advancing the ARF’s ideology as a key to its mission in serving the Nation.

The Central Committee extends its deepest condolences to his family, relatives, friends and all his fellow ARF members.

YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to prevent further ceasefire violations, saying that is essential for kick-starting the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.

Lavrov expressed Russia’s readiness to help create the “necessary atmosphere” for resuming Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations during a meeting with his visiting Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov. He also discussed the Karabakh conflict in a phone call with Armenia’s Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

“I understand that our common intent is to continue the negotiation process,” Lavrov told a joint news conference with Bayramov held after the talks. “In this regard, it is important to ensure the necessary atmosphere for setting up a steady negotiating process.”
“We will do our best to foster the creation of such conditions both in the national capacity and as one of the three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group,” he said.

Lavrov said that he specifically discussed with Bayramov the Russian, U.S. and French mediators’ plans to visit the conflict zone and organize talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers. He stressed that the plans are contingent on preventing the kind of deadly ceasefire violations that broke out on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on July 12.

“We very much hope that what happened in July will not be repeated,” added the chief Russian diplomat.

The weeklong border clashes involving artillery and attack drones left at least 17 soldiers from both sides dead. Lavrov said last week that “active Russian mediation” helped to stop them.
Speaking at the news conference in Moscow, Bayramov, who was appointed as Azerbaijan’s foreign minister on July 16, blamed Armenia for the flare-up of violence and accused it of obstructing a Karabakh settlement. He also said that the talks planned by the U.S., Russian and French co-chairs of the Minsk Group must be “substantive.”

It was not immediately clear whether Lavrov’s phone conversation with Mnatsakanyan took place just before or after his meeting with Bayramov. The Armenian Foreign Ministry released no details of the conversation.

Immediately after the border fighting Yerevan called on Baku to agree to confidence-building measures that would bolster the ceasefire regime. It referred to concrete agreements to that effect that had been reached by Azerbaijani President Aliyev and his former Armenian counterpart President Serzh Sarkisian in 2016.

The agreements called for the deployment of more OSCE field observers in the conflict zone and international investigations of armed incidents occurring there. Baku subsequently refused to implement them, saying that they would cement the status quo.

The Armenian community in Lebanon has been reeling since the devastating explosion that rocked Beirut on August 4.

The blast has claimed 178 lives with thousands of people injured and hundreds of thousands left homeless. The destruction and its aftereffects have not spared the large Armenian community in Lebanon, which has lost 13 of its members, while hundreds are still recovering from their injuries.

Armenian churches, community centers, schools and other institutions have also suffered structural damages.

Before the explosion Lebanon was in the throes of one of its worst financial crisis in its history, sparking street demonstrations by the people who were decrying the collapse of the economy. Then came the global COVID-19 pandemic, which took an even worse toll on the economy and forces the population to isolate themselves against the virus.

Soon after the explosion, the Pan-Armenian Council of Western United States launched Hye Aid Lebanon, a community-wide fundraising effort with the participation of all Armenian religious denominations and the leading community organizations. This effort has already raised hundreds of thousands of much-needed dollars to assist our brothers and sisters in Lebanon. Organizers said that all donations will be transferred to a unified body under the high auspices of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.

To bring the Western U.S. community together Hye Aid Lebanon announced a telethon, which will be held Sunday, August 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on ARTN, USArmenia and Horizon Armenian television channels and will be livestreamed on the Asbarez, Horizon and HyeAid Facebook pages.

On Sunday, August 16, Artists for Lebanon released a video announcing the August 30 telethon and calling on wide participation from our community. Asbarez was among the various outlets the premiered the video on its Facebook page.

The Armenian community in Lebanon needs our support more than ever. Let us take part in the Hye Aid Lebanon Telethon on Sunday and together provide as much assistance as possible to the Armenian community in Lebanon.