Distinguished and nominated films 2010

  • Best Short Film nominees: Akhtamar (Armenia, United Kingdom), Eye-Light (South Korea), The Fifth Column (Hinkerort Zorasune) (Lebanon, USA) The Gift of the Magi (Japan), A Nice Old-Fashioned Romance (USA), Nuit Blanche (Canada).
  • Best Documentary Film nominees: Charents: In Search of My Armenian Poet (Armenia), Down Here (Ici-Bas) (Belgium, France, Armenia), From Ararat to Zion (Armenia, Egypt, Israel, Turkey), Little Alien (Austria, Greece, Morocco, Slovakia, Spain), A Woman From Kyrannis (Tunisia).
  • Best Feature Film nominees: Animal Heart (Coeur Animal) (Switzerland), Bonded Parallels (Armenia, Norway), The Forgottens of History (Les Oubliés de L’Histoire) (Morocco, Belgium), I Like It (A Me Mi Gusta) (Venezuela), Tales From Kars (Turkey).
  • Best Screenplay nominees: Animal Heart (Coeur Animal) (Switzerland), Bonded Parallels (Norway, Armenia), The Forgottens of History (Les Oubliés de L’Histoire) (Morocco, Belgium), I Like It (A Me Mi Gusta) (Venezuela).
  • Best Director nominees: Animal Heart (Coeur Animal) (Switzerland), Bonded Parallels (Norway, Armenia), The Forgottens of History (Les Oubliés de L’Histoire) (Morocco, Belgium), I Like It (A Me Mi Gusta) (Venezuela).
  • Francophone-Fest Cinema Award nominees: Animal Heart (Coeur Animal) (Switzerland), The Barons (Les Barons) (Belgium/France), Father and Guns (De Pere en Flic) (Canada), Finding Gauguin (USA), The Forgottens of History (Les Oubliés de L’Histoire) (Morocco, Belgium).

Festival Jury 2010

This year’s esteemed festival jury includes journalist Scott Davis (author TekWar Chronicles), Frank Guttler (film/video educator who served as Producer and Associate Director of the AFI Screen Education Center), Geoff Yim (Producer), Valerie McCaffrey (Producer “Lies My Mother Told Me”) and actor Ken Davitian (“Borat” and “Get Smart”). Francophone-Fest jurists include Georges N. Chamchoum (Producer,director of The Monaco Charity Film Festival, in Monte Carlo), Helene E. Hagan (Founder of the Los Angeles Amazigh Film Festival), and Laurent Morlet (TV and film producer, and former Executive Director of the Los Angeles Film and TV Office of the French Embassy).

Festival Winners 2010

The 2010 Arpa Int’s Film Festival winners were selected from over 50 features, shorts and documentary films from 30 countries that screened during the six day festival. The evening’s sponsors included AT&T, Yellow Pages and Chivas Regal who served their famed Premium Blended Old Scotch Whiskey to turnout of over 400 industry guests. A courtyard reception lasted until midnight on one of the warmest evenings of the year.

“Les Oublies De L’Histoire” received the Best Film award at the 2010 Arpa International Awards Closing Night Gala on Sunday, September 26, 2010 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The evening was attended by many celebrities and dignitaries including Grigor Hovhannissian, Consul General of the Republic of Armenia. Actress Raya Meddine hosted the evening to help announce the winning films of the 13th Arpa International Film Festival. Renowned singer Natalie Der-Mesropian entertained during the event.

Presenting the award for Best Short Film “Nuit Blanche” (Canada) were Actor James Duke Mason and HLN’s, Brad Pomerance. Hrach Titizian, 2008 Arpa award winner for Best Screenplay (“Float”) and actress Mary Apick were on hand to present the Best Documentary honor to “From Ararat to Zion” (Armenia,Egypt,Israel,Turkey) narrated by Aidan Quinn. Actor David Alpay and AT&T’s Shani Belisle presented the Arpa/AT&T Award for Environmental Conservation and Stewardship to the German film “Scientists Under Attack: Genetic Engineering in the Magnetic Field of Money”. AFFMA’s founder Sylvia Minassian presented the Arpa Foundation Award to Armenian Missionary Association of America’s Orphan/Child Care Program (AMAA). Presenting the Francophone Award to the feature “Les Barons” (France, Belgium) from the inaugural Francophone Fest Cinema sidebar was Francophone chamber of commerce president Philippe Guionnet and actress Heather McComb.

Actress Anoush NeVart presented the Best Screenplay award to co-writers Marine Zakaryan, Thomas Schlesinger, Hovhannes Galstyan (who also directed the film) for “Bonded Parallels” (Norway,France,Armenia) – Serge Avedikian, who is in the film, accepted on the writer’s behalf. Actor Ken Davitian gave the Best Director honours to Ralph Kinnard “A Me Mi Gusta” (Venezuela), and actor Vik Sahay concluded the evening presenting the Best Film award to “Les Oublies De L’Histoire” and the film’s producer Hassan Benjelloun, who also directed and co-wrote the script with Toufik Taha.

Earlier in the week two of the festival’s honorary awards were given as Alek Keshishian presented Paris filmmaker Serge Avedikian (“Chienne D’Histoire”) with the Career Achievement Award at Thursday ( September 23) evening’s Francophone Fest celebration. On Friday, September 24th the festival honoured German Filmmaker Eric Friedler with the Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award following the screening of his documentary “Aghet: A Genocide“.

Jury Award Winners 2010

Nuit Blanche (Canada)
Arev Manoukian (D/W/P), Stephanie Swedlove (P)
BEST SHORT FILM 2010

From Ararat To Zion (Armenia, Egypt, Israel, Turkey)
Edgar Baghdasaryan (D) Fr. Mesrop Aramian (W/P), Aidan Quinn (Narrator)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM 2010

Bonded Parallels (Norway,France,Armenia)
Hovhannes Galstyan, Marine Zakaryan,Thomas Schlesinger
BEST SCREENPLAY 2010

Les Barons (France,Belgium)
Nabil Ben Yadir (D/W), Laurent Brandenbourger (W),Sebastien Delloye, Diane Elbaum (P)
FRANCOPHONE AWARD 2010

A Me Mi Gusta (Venezuela)
Ralph Kinnard (D)
BEST DIRECTOR 2010

Les Oublies De L’histoire (Morocco,Belgium)
Hassan Benjelloun (P) directed and co-wrote with Toufik Taha
BEST FEATURE FILM 2010

Honorary Awards 2010

Eric Friedler
ARMIN.T.WEGNER HUMANITARIAN AWARD 2010

Serge Avedikian
ARPA CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2010

Armenian Missionary Association of American
AFFMA FOUNDATION AWARD 2010

Scientist Under Attack: Genetic Engineering in the Magnetic Field of Money (Germany)
Bertram Verhaag (D/W), Claus Strigler (P)
ARPA/AT&T AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP 2010