Yerevan Rolls Out the Red Carpet as 23rd Golden Apricot Film Festival Begins
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Armenia’s largest international film festival is underway, transforming Yerevan into a gathering place for some of the world’s leading filmmakers, actors and cinema professionals. The 23rd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival opened July 13 and will run through July 19, presenting acclaimed films from around the world while highlighting Armenia’s growing role in the international film community. The Armenian Report is covering the festival throughout the week, with reporter Ani Khachatryan speaking with filmmakers, actors and festival attendees from opening day as she brings readers exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes coverage from one of the region’s premier cultural events.
This year's program features feature-length, documentary and short films in both competition and special screenings. Many of the selected works have already appeared at major international film festivals, giving Armenian audiences an opportunity to see some of the year's most celebrated films alongside world premieres and regional debuts.
The opening ceremony brought together government officials, diplomats, filmmakers, artists and international guests, reflecting the festival's reputation as one of the region's leading cultural events.
Yerevan Deputy Mayor Levon Hovhannisyan said the festival has become one of the city's defining cultural institutions and continues to gain recognition on the global stage.
"I am very happy to see all of you here today — people who love cinema and live through cinema. The Yerevan Municipality has been the festival's main sponsor for the past five years. Every year, Golden Apricot reaches new achievements. Today, we can proudly say that among more than 5,000 film festivals worldwide, Golden Apricot ranks among the world's top 50 festivals. This is truly an important accomplishment," he said.
Festival founder and president Harutyun Khachatryan reflected on the event's beginnings, saying the idea for Golden Apricot was born in 2004 through conversations with two friends. More than two decades later, he said, the festival has grown into an important platform for Armenian filmmakers while creating lasting connections between Armenia and the international film industry.
During the ceremony, Khachatryan presented the festival's Master Award to Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner, who is serving as president of this year's international jury. The festival's three founders then officially declared the 23rd edition open.
French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel also received the Parajanov Thaler Award in recognition of his contributions to world cinema, adding another internationally respected name to the festival's long list of honored guests.
The evening included a special performance by internationally acclaimed Lebanese-French trumpeter, pianist and composer Ibrahim Maalouf, who presented an original improvisation marking the 100th anniversary of Namus, one of the landmark works of early Armenian cinema.
Festival Artistic Director Karen Avetisyan introduced this year's theme, "Be a Poem," describing it as an invitation to experience cinema beyond the screen.
"Poetry is not simply rhyme and rhythm. It is the language of human experience, emotion and thought that allows us to see the world from a new perspective. Through this year's poster, the festival invites audiences not only to observe art but to live inside it — to remain sensitive, curious and open to the world, and to become part of cinema's poetic space," Avetisyan said.
The festival opened with the world premiere of Arto's Country, directed by Armenian filmmaker Tamara Stepanyan. She said presenting the film in Yerevan carried a special emotional significance.
"It is one thing to open the Locarno Film Festival, but it is something entirely different to open the Golden Apricot of my beloved homeland. This film is a love letter to my homeland, to our cinema, to our wounds and to our lost lands. I tried to transform that love letter into a film," Stepanyan said.
Throughout the week, Golden Apricot will host screenings, filmmaker discussions, master classes and industry events, continuing its mission of connecting Armenian cinema with the global film community while bringing international voices to audiences in Yerevan.
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