2024 Armenian Film Festival Australia

The Armenian Film Festival Australia (AFFA) proudly announces its 8th edition, set to captivate audiences in Sydney and Melbourne. This year's festival showcases the best of Armenian cinema and celebrates the profound connections between Australia and Armenia.

The festival's highlight is the World Premiere of "The Golden Chain of Mercy," a groundbreaking film highlighting the Australian and New Zealand connection to the Armenian genocide. The film portrays – for the first time ever on screen – the heroic efforts of ANZAC soldiers who witnessed the atrocities and the subsequent humanitarian aid provided by Australia and New Zealand to the survivors. This marks Australia's first-ever international humanitarian support program and holds great relevance in today's world. 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, Co-founders and Co-directors of AFFA, expressed their enthusiasm: "We are 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 the legendary filmmaker Sergei Parajanov on his 100th birthday. Cinephiles will be treated to a unique program that includes screening his masterpiece, "The Colour of Pomegranates," widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. This will be in a double feature with an Australian Premiere documentary, “Sergei Parajanov:The Rebel,” and Vigen Galstyan, a film historian from Armenia, will attend for 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 “It’s Spring” (an epic war-drama) 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,” which contains footage filmed by the legend himself.

The festival's Patron is Gladys Berejiklian, former Premier of NSW, who continues to support the festival's mission to bring Armenian stories to Australian audiences.

See the full festival program and purchase tickets

All films feature English subtitles.