The Sydney leg of the eighth Armenian Film Festival Australia takes place from 16 to 25 August at Event Cinemas Top Ryde.
The 2024 festival will celebrate connections between Australia and Armenia.
The festival is headlined by the world premiere ofThe Golden Chain of Mercy, a film highlighting the Australian and New Zealand connection to the Armenian genocide. The film portrays the efforts of ANZAC soldiers who witnessed the atrocities and the subsequent humanitarian aid provided by Australia and New Zealand to survivors. The film will feature a Q&A with filmmakers, including Sydney-based author Viken Babkenian and Manvel Saribekyan from Armenia.
Margaret Chater and Hourie Demirjian are the Co-founders and Co-directors of AFFA. In a statement, they said they were, “incredibly proud to present the 8th edition of the Armenian Film Festival Australia, which not only celebrates the rich heritage of Armenian cinema but also highlights the profound connections between Australia, New Zealand, and Armenia.”
“We invite everyone to join us in this celebration of storytelling, resilience, and the enduring human spirit.”
AFFA 2024 also pays homage to legendary filmmaker Sergei Parajanov on his 100th birthday. The festival will include a screening of his film, The Colour of Pomegranates. The film will be shown in a double feature with the documentary, Sergei Parajanov:The Rebel. Vigen Galstyan, a film historian from Armenia, will take part in a special Q&A session.
The festival continues to spotlight Armenian causes, including Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in the wake of the recent ethnic cleansing and the ongoing struggles of the Armenian people in the region. Films such as the epic war-drama It’s Spring and Blockade shed light on life under threat of war in the border villages and the resilience of the Armenian spirit.
The Armenian Film Festival 2024 offers a diverse array of films catering to all audiences, including the comedy Women in Black, the animation Anahit, and the first-ever Armenian superhero film, Vishap. In honour of the 100th birthday of French-Armenian Charles Aznavour, the festival will screen Aznavour by Charles.
The festival’s Patron is Gladys Berejiklian, former Premier of NSW.
For the full festival program and to purchase tickets, visit the official festival website here. All films feature English subtitles.
