Festival Awards
Celebrating Excellence in Armenian Cinema
The Armenian Film Festival Australia (AFFA) is proud to announce a significant milestone for our 2025 edition: the introduction of Festival Awards with an official jury. For the first time, we will formally recognise outstanding achievements in Armenian cinema through a curated awards program, furthering our mission to honour bold, original voices in Armenian storytelling.
2025 Award Categories
This year, AFFA will present four major awards:
- Best Feature – Narrative
- Best Feature – Documentary
- Best Short
- Audience Choice
The Best Feature – Narrative and Best Feature – Documentary will be selected by the Festival Jury. The Best Short will be chosen by the AFFA programming team, while the Audience Choice Award will be determined by festival attendees.
Join us in celebrating the creativity, passion, and impact of Armenian filmmakers from around the world.
Meet the Jury
For the first time in AFFA’s history, we are honoured to introduce a Festival Jury tasked with selecting the winners of our Best Feature – Narrative and Best Feature – Documentary categories. This esteemed panel brings together filmmakers, scholars, producers, and industry professionals from across the Armenian and international cinema landscape.
NANOR PETROSYAN
Born in Tehran, Iran, Nanor is a Yerevan-based actress, director, and writer. She holds a master’s degree in mime from the Yerevan State Institute of Dramatic Art. Nanor’s career includes work at the Mher Mkrtchyan Artistic Theatre and the Theatre du Soleil in France. Her filmography features “Dawn on a Sad Street” (2008), “Half Moon Lagoon” (2014), “3 Weeks in Yerevan” (2016), “Life and Struggle” (2016), “Eva” (2017), “Thorough Cleansing” (2020), “It takes a village…” (2022), and “Scrambled Eggs” (2023). She was awarded Best Actress by UniFrance at the 2022 Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival. In 2012, she founded the alternative theatre Tech Degh and has published the poetry collection “Artatpum” (2011).
ANDY SIMON
An award-winning Australian-Armenian journalist and television producer/director. He is known for his documentaries “Armenia Uncovered” and “Ararat Uncovered“, featured at the Armenian Film Festival Australia in 2019 and 2023. His production company, Simon Says Media, creates high-quality televisual content. Andy has produced and directed numerous programs for major Australian networks, including “Backyard Blitz“, “Better Homes and Gardens“, “The Dinner Project“, “I Survived“, “MasterChef“, and “Location Location Location.“
TATEVIK AYVAZYAN
A London-based writer and producer at Rebel Republic Films and former director of the Armenian Institute. Tatevik produced the award-winning poetry film “Taniel” and the documentary “Married to the Music.” Currently, she is developing Iris Murdoch’s “The Italian Girl” for a feature film. Tatevik co-founded the Armenian Film Festival London and Jukebox Film Club. She co-edited the special Armenian issue of Wasafiri magazine and serves on the boards of the International Armenian Literary Alliance and Azad Archives.
LILIT MARTIROSYAN
A Yerevan-based producer and founding director of Combinat Production LLC, and director at Sharm Holding LLC. A graduate of Yerevan State University, she began her career in radio before moving into television production. Lilit has produced numerous local projects and coordinates international film crews in Armenia. She collaborates with leading studios, TV stations, and various organisations, including Armenia Public TV Company and the Cinema Foundation of Armenia.
Judging Criteria
Our jury will evaluate submissions based on the following criteria:
- Originality & Vision – A fresh perspective or bold artistic approach
- Storytelling & Structure – Narrative clarity, emotional impact, and character development
- Cultural Resonance – Relevance to Armenian identity, history, or contemporary issues
- Craft & Technical Execution – Cinematography, editing, sound, and production quality
- Overall Impact – The lasting impression and significance of the work
All entries will be considered equally regardless of budget or production scale.
Audience Choice Voting
The Audience Choice Award puts the power in the hands of our viewers! All feature and short films screened at the festival are eligible.
How it works:
- Attendees will receive a digital or paper ballot at each screening
- Voting will close at the end of the final festival day
- The winner will be announced on social media after the Closing Night.
Awards Presentation
All award winners (other than the Audience Choice Award) will be revealed at the AFFA 2025 Closing Night, taking place in Sydney on August 17, 2025.
