On the red carpet again for the 29th Arpa International Film Festival

Movies are metaphors for our inner world and a mirror for self-reflection. They can be thought-provoking or take us to a fantasy world. No matter why we watch movies, filmmakers love creating stories. Film Festivals give filmmakers and audiences a platform to meet, communicate, and connect.

The 29th Arpa International Film Festival (Arpa IFF) will open on Thursday, September 24, at 6 p.m. with a red carpet at TCL Chinese Theatre, with Other Side of Fame screening at 7:30 p.m., starring Italian star Sveva Alviti and German-Armenian actor Saro Emirze, and directed by Erik Bernard. The four-day festival will end on Sunday, September 27.

The upcoming festival includes My Armenian Phantoms by Tamara Stepanyan, which will screen at noon on the first day. Stepanyan traveled to Armenia several times and conducted extensive research, digging into old footage to create this film. It’s a tribute to her late father’s acting career and her own path into filmmaking.

This year the Festival will screen several films made in Armenia or by Armenians living in the diaspora, such as I Remember Your Voice by Arayik Sargsyan and Nikolay Melikyan, Beneath the Ashes, the Past Reimagined by Hrag Yedalian (about the fires in Altadena), Going Dark by Tigran Tovmasian of Australia, and In the Land of Arto by Tamara Stepanyan. The latter is Armenia’s official submission to the 99th Academy Awards.

The international festival will screen noteworthy movies from many countries, including Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Ukraine, the United States, and many more. The result is a lineup that feels less like a single trend and more like a living map of cinematic imagination.

September 27, the Festival will end with a Red Carpet and an Awards ceremony honoring Carol Connors, Sveva Alviti, Tamara Stepanyan, Sofia Milos, and Diana Madison.

The story behind it

Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art (AFFMA), founded by Sylvia Minassian in 1995, is a nonprofit organization that provides a platform for filmmakers, musicians, and artists. In 1997, Sylvia Minassian launched the Arpa International Film Festival. They have provided a place for international filmmakers to connect in the heart of Hollywood. The festival always includes music shorts, documentaries, features, music videos, and animation.

“Arpa International Film Festival returns this September for its 29th year. “As its founder, I’m proud to champion independent filmmakers worldwide and celebrate our role as Los Angeles’ oldest independent international film festival. We look forward to marking our 30th anniversary next year,” said the festival’s founder Sylvia Minassian.

Minassian has a dedicated team of volunteers. The festival director and the festival jury liaison are her close friends. They call themselves “soul sisters”. They have honored famous directors, actors, filmmakers, and producers from around the world. The list of jurors selecting the winning films has included individuals with impressive portfolios in the movie industry.

Sonia Keshishian, Festival Jury Liaison, said, “I am thankful to Sylvia and Maral for their support. Jury selection is not easy. Every year, I carefully invite a group of media professionals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise.”

She added, “The jury plays a pivotal role in honoring the incredible work of our filmmakers, focusing on human stories, relatable characters, and creative freedom. The final decision is in their hands.”

Arpa IFF has grown through many stages. Their first screenings were at small theatres; they moved to the Egyptian Theatre for several years. But after Netflix bought the place, the festival moved to other venues. This is the second year they will hold the event at TCL Chinese Theatre.

Festival Director Maral Kazazian said, “Arpa IFF continues to be a platform for artistic expression, cultural exchange, and celebration of independent voices.” She continued, “We extend our deepest gratitude to the filmmakers, partners, and audiences who make this festival possible.”

Since its inception, Arpa IFF has honored many film-related individuals, including directors, producers, filmmakers, and actors, with distinguished awards. In 2003, festival board member Dr. Zaven Khatchaturian introduced the Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award. More than 20 filmmakers from seven countries have received this prestigious Award. The award recognizes films that address ethnic cleansing, war, genocide, and related topics.

In 2024, the festival opened with an all-female lineup of filmmakers. Actress and producer Diane Baker, actress Mary Apick, and producer Valerie McCaffrey were panelists who discussed their experiences. In 2025, the festival opened with a thought-provoking movie about domestic violence, directed by Jared Cohn and Bella Bahar Danesh, with Oscar-nominated Iranian actress Shohreh Aghdashloo.

The public is cordially invited to the film festival. For more information, contact: maralkazaz@yahoo.com.