HOLLYWOOD—The first Arpa International Film Festival was produced by AFFMA in 1997 with a mission to cultivate cultural understanding and global empathy, creating a dynamic forum for international cinema with a special focus on the works of filmmakers who explore the issues of Diaspora, exile and multi-culturalism. A strong emphasis is placed on ideals of independent thought, artistic vision, cultural diversity and social understanding. This year, celebrating the 18th Annual Arpa International Film Festival at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood from November 13-15, the festival continues to grow focusing strongly on films dealing with humanitarian issues internationally such as genocide, holocaust, human freedom, women’s rights, homelessness and many others.
This year’s program will screen over 46 films from 24 countries, showcasing truly global range of artistic vision and thematic concerns. The 2015 line-up of films include programs of documentaries, shorts and feature films. This year the program highlights films from the Balkans also.
The Festival will open with the recipient of Arpa’s prestigious Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award (marks number 14 this year), “LOST BIRDS” from Turkey. The film’s writers, directors, producers Aren Perdeci and Ela Alyamac will be present for the screening. The story of the film against the backdrop of the 1915, the Armenian Genocide is a must to see. Filmed in Cappadocia, Turkey, the film portrays a historical tragedy from the point of view of two children, casting the events in a fairy-tale atmosphere.
Other Films include, I Want to Be A King (2014) | Iran | Director: Mehdi Ganji | Writer: Mehdi Ganji | Language: Persian. Off (2015) | Serbia | Director: Predrag Stojic | Writer: Marko Krstic | Language: Serbian. Our Village (2013) | Armenia | Director: Yelena Arshakyan | Writer: Hovhannes Yeranyan | Language: Armenian. Three Windows and a Hanging (2014) | Kosovo | Director: Isa Qosja | Writer: Zymber Kelmendi | Language: Albanian. Aliyah Dada (2015) | Romania | Director: Oana Giurgiu | Language: English. Armenia Sings on in Our Hearts (2015) | Brazil | Director: Isabella Bablumian | Writer: Isabella Bablumian | Language: English. Armenopolis, Armenian Soul (2015) | Romania | Director: Florin Kevorkian and Isabella Bostan | Writer: Florin Kevorkian | Language: English. Lee Scratch Perry’s Vision of Paradise (2015) | Germany | Director: Volker Schaner | Writer: Volker Schaner | Language: English. Tell Spring Not to Come This Year (2015) | United Kingdom | Director: Michael McEvoy, Saeed Taji Farouky | Language: Dari. Caregivers (2014) | Armenia | Director: Viktorya Aleksanyan | Writer: Beniamin Gevorgyan | Language: Armenian. Sabre Dance (2015) / U.S.A | Director: Ilya Rozhkov | Writer: Ilya Rozhkov | Language: English. Straw Dolls (2015) | U.S.A. | Director: Jon Milano | Writer: Jon Milano | Language: Armenian Tamara, Echelon (2014) | Romania | Director: Kristina Cepraga Goodwin | Writer: Kristina Cepraga Goodwin | Language: Romanian
The festival kicks off at California State University at Northridge (CSUN) on Monday November 9, in partnership with their Film Department. Screenings will take place on campus, at the Armor Theater from 7:30 to 10pm, with eight shorts. Four films from the festival and four student films will be screened. Admission will be free on a first come first served basis.
Esai Morales
This year, Arpa International Film Festival is honored to present Award-winning actor Esai Morales with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Esai Morales made his feature film debut in Bad Boys and his breakthrough role in La Bamba made him a star, contributing to making the film the most commercially successful Latino-themed Rock biopic of all time. To this day, his role as Bob Morales continues to uptrend in major social media sites. In 1997 Esai Morales co-founded the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, created to advance the presence of Latinos in the media, telecommunications and entertainment industries. The NHFA has provided scholarships to hundreds of Hispanic students in excess of 1 million dollars.
Currently, Morales plays the role of President of The United States on The Brink, HBO’s new dark comedy about a geo-political crisis.
All three nights of the festival include Red Carpet, Reception and Entertainment, and they will be included in the festival’s All Access Gold Pass.
For complete schedule and ticket information for the 2015 festival program, please visit our website at www.arpafilmfestival.com
Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art is a nonprofit charitable organization registered as 501(c) 3.
Source: Asbarez
Link: 18th Annual Arpa International Film Festival Opens With ‘Lost Birds’