10 years of
cinema, culture
& conversation.
Sydney | 11-27 Sep 2026
Program announced soon for:
Adelaide | 10-11 Oct
Perth | 24-25 Oct
Melbourne | 30 Oct-1 Nov
10 years of cinema, culture & conversation.
Sydney | 11-27 Sep 2026
Program announced soon for:
Adelaide | 10-11 Oct
Perth | 24-25 Oct
Melbourne | 30 Oct-1 Nov
Feature Films
Vazgen: The Last Sparapet
A gifted writer turned wartime leader, Vazgen founded the Armenian military, secured victory, and dreamt of economic reform, only to be tragically assassinated in parliament. A tale of courage, sacrifice, and lasting legacy.
In the Land of Arto
Céline arrives in Armenia for the first time to legalise the death of Arto, her husband but instead uncovers lies about his war service and desertion. Her journey through a war-scarred past asks the question of how can you bury a ghost?
Outliving Shakespeare
In a derelict Soviet-era retirement home, a group of its elderly residents rehearse the original play “Shakespeare’s Sins”. Follow the troupe as they bond and find community in this thought-provoking exploration of the loneliness that comes with aging.
Full House: Landing
A group of formerly inseparable friends, who are traveling to Dubai for different reasons unexpectedly find themselves on the same flight. A sudden twist leads them on a hilarious and chaotic adventure in a remote forest.
Ararat 73
Legendary Spartak player Nikita Simonyan becomes the coach of Yerevan’s Ararat and sets himself an impossible task: a “golden double” – victory in both the USSR Cup and the USSR Championship. To do so, he must win the trust of his new team and overcome fierce competition.
A Winter’s Song
Aspiring singer Liana takes a leap of faith to travel to Armenia for the first time in search of inspiration. A world of music, culture and love awaits, transforming her life forever in this delightful romantic comedy.
Mumma Bear Cushman
Softly spoken and endlessly underestimated, American nurse Emma Cushman crossed into the collapsing Ottoman Empire to serve – and stayed on as war and genocide tore families apart around her. Negotiating with officials in their own language and risking deportation rather than leave her orphans behind, she was pulled into a role that history has only half-told. A source-backed docutainment that asks: how much can a soul carry, lose, and still remain whole?
Shorts
Discover seven thought-provoking short films exploring resilience, identity and human connection through intimate stories from Armenia and Australia.
Lion
10th Anniversary screening of the award winning film Lion (2016). The remarkable true story of Indian boy Saroo Brierley, who at the age of five is separated from his family and adopted by an Australian couple 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
Poqr Mher
A school excursion takes an unexpected turn when two students accidentally open the legendary door of Aghravakar, unleashing Poqr Mher into the modern world. As ancient myth meets contemporary life, a funny and heartfelt adventure unfolds for audiences of all ages.
Aram, Aram
Aram must navigate the clash between old-world values and new-school Armenian identity after suddenly moving to America to live with his Grandfather, in this emotionally powerful coming-of-age drama.
Ojakh, on the other side of the silence
Erhan Arik, a Turkish photographer, grew up in a house previously inhabited by Armenians. After he hears a voice in his dreams, he goes on a journey to understand the Armenian history of the land around him.
Amerikatsi
It is 1947 and Charlie, a genocide survivor having escaped the genocide and grown up in the USA, repatriates back to Armenia to connect with his homeland, only to be greeted with the harsh reality of Soviet Communism.
Aurora’s Sunrise
The story of how Aurora Mardiganian, after losing everything during the Armenian Genocide at 14 years old, became a silent movie star after moving to New York. With luck and extraordinary courage, her story becomes a media sensation.
In Search of Light
Follow the raw and deeply personal journeys of two individuals as they navigate their relationship with faith and find God’s presence on their own paths. A world premiere by Armenian-Australian Hasmig Der Tateossian.
Precious Boys
Two boys, switched at birth, grow up in opposite worlds – one in extreme wealth, the other in poverty. Seventeen years later, the truth suddenly comes out, plunging both families into chaos in this quirky comedy.
Expulsion
Following the 2020 Artsakh War, residents of Karvachar are forced to leave their homes and homeland behind. Months later, this moving documentary revisits those displaced families as they reflect on the heartbreak of exile, loss and the painful decision to abandon everything they knew.
Jeanna
Living in a provincial orphanage, 16-year-old Jeanna spends her days watching the mother who abandoned her from afar. When she accidentally uncovers the reason behind her rejection, the revelation shatters her world and pushes her towards a life-changing decision.
Raznik’s Hunger
A sailor with anterograde amnesia sits trapped in a neurologist’s office, his notebook the only thread tying him to a self he can’t remember – and a warning he wrote himself: don’t trust the doctor. As she presses him to recall the ship where his entire crew died, fractured memories of a dark figure claw their way back, hunger and confusion curdling into something feral. When her touch breaks through the fog, clarity comes too late – he attacks, and in the one lucid instant after, he finally sees what he’s done.
The Circus Lion
Desperate to escape his struggling country town, a young wrestler sees a place on the Australian team as his only way forward. When tragedy strikes, his fight for a new future becomes a battle with the trauma he has spent years trying to outrun.
The Eternal Red
A disillusioned veteran finds himself at a war photo exhibition, where everybody else sees art, while he relives his past.
The Ring
Fifty years after being driven from her childhood home, a woman returns in search of memories from her past. But her quiet act of remembrance is mistaken for something else entirely, setting off an unexpected search for treasure and revealing the distance between memory and myth.
When Dogs Bark
After his father’s flock is brutally slaughtered, an intellectual son returns to his widowed father’s isolated home. As old wounds resurface, he is drawn into a world of fear and suspicion where the past seems destined to repeat itself.
Festival Highlights
Opening Night Gala
Celebrate the opening of our 10th Anniversary Festival with an unforgettable red carpet evening that brings together cinema, culture and community. Enjoy Armenian food, Armenian wine and live music before the Australian premiere of Vazgen: The Last Sparapet, followed by post-screening celebrations.
Ladies Night
Grab your girlfriends and join us for Ladies Night! Enjoy wine, delicious nibbles and lucky door prizes before a screening of A Winter’s Song, a delightful romantic comedy about a singer who travels to Armenia and finds inspiration, culture and love.
Flix & Mix | Under 35’s
Enjoy a special screening of Aram, Aram, then keep the conversation going at the bar for a post-film mixer. Your ticket includes a complimentary drink and the chance to connect with fellow festival goers, aged 18-35.
Closing Night & Award Ceremony
Celebrate the finale of the Armenian Film Festival with our Awards Ceremony and Closing Night screening of the documentary Outliving Shakespeare. Join us as we honour this year’s outstanding films and filmmakers.
Cinema & Soul: A Winter’s Song + Krista Marina Live
Experience the beautiful rom-com A Winter’s Song, followed by an intimate live performance in the festival bar by the film’s star, Armenian singer-songwriter Krista Marina. Blending alternative pop, R&B, jazz and Armenian soul, Krista brings her unique sound to this unforgettable evening of cinema and soul.
Special Events
Enjoy multiple special events across the festival to immerse yourself in Armenian culture and hospitality, including our Opening Night Gala. Delicious food, Armenian wine, live music and traditional Armenian taraz.
Family Films
A selection of films for children and teens. Family tickets available so you can enjoy a day at the movies with the whole family.
Festival Guests & Filmmaker Q&A’s
Meet the filmmakers for post-screening Q&A sessions. Expect lively discussion and insights into the filmmaking process.
Best of AFFA: Anniversary Screenings
In honour of our 10th Anniversary, AFFA revisits a selection of unforgettable films from the past decade – stories that moved us, connected us and continue to resonate today, including Aram, Aram the first film ever screened at AFFA, Amerikatsi and Aurora’s Sunrise.
Festival Trailer
Watch the official AFFA 2026 trailer and get a glimpse of what’s in store.
10 years of cinema, culture & conversation.
For a decade, the Armenian Film Festival Australia has brought together audiences, filmmakers and communities through stories that cross borders and generations. In 2026, we celebrate ten years of cinema, culture and conversation.
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