EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Ryan Coogler is partnering with the Armenian Film Society to honor his longtime business partner, prolific producer Sev Ohanian, with an induction into the Armenian Film Hall of Fame.
The honor will be presented on the concluding day of the 2025 Armenian Film Festival held in Los Angeles from Sept. 3-7, during the AFS Gala at Vertigo Event Venue in Glendale, Calif. celebrating a decade of the nonprofit’s work. Earlier that afternoon, the fest will host a special conversation between the duo at the city’s historic Alex Theatre.
“We are thrilled to mark 10 incredible years of Armenian Film Society, dedicated to elevating Armenian artists worldwide,” said Armen Karaoghlanian, founder & CEO of AFS. “Since 2015, AFS has served as a creative and cultural hub for Armenian film, showcasing new and emerging filmmakers and films. We are thrilled to mark this milestone with our Gala and a special conversation with two visionary filmmakers who have transformed Hollywood through their collaboration: Ryan Coogler and Sev Ohanian.”
Ohanian added, “I’m incredibly honored — this organization means the world to me. Armenians have a deep tradition of storytelling, and AFS has become a home for that legacy to thrive. To be recognized by them is something I’ll carry with me. And having Ryan, whose partnership has always been rooted in shared values and purpose, present the award makes it even more meaningful.”
Coogler and Ohanian — who most recently collaborated on the critically acclaimed box office hit Sinners — will discuss their friendship and career trajectory dating back to their time at the University of Southern California’s venerated cinematic school, as well as their early breakout film, production company Proximity Media (which they launched alongside Coogler’s wife Zinzi Coogler) and mutual interest in supporting AFS’ work.
Ohanian, a veteran screenwriter and producer, is behind thrillers Searching (2018), Run (2020) and Missing (2023), all of which he co-wrote alongside Aneesh Chaganty and wife and producing partner, Natalie Qasabian. Run, starring Sarah Paulson, was lauded as Hulu’s most-watched original film upon its debut.
In 2018, Ohanian co-founded Proximity Media with the intention of releasing event-driven stories across film, TV, documentaries and podcasts. The production company’s debut feature was Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, leading star Daniel Kaluuya to a Best Supporting Actor Oscar win and H.E.R.’s clinching of the Best Original Song award. Proximity’s second film — 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy — was released by Warner Bros. in theaters and on HBO Max, coming in at No. 1 at the domestic box office during its opening weekend.
The trio’s recent credits for Proximity include executive producing Marvel’s Ironheart and the Nat Geo documentary Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time. Additionally, they produced the genre-bending and wildly inventive Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, which grossed over $360 million worldwide.
Ohanian’s first-ever film was the 2008 no-budget film he shot on his father’s home video camera titled My Big Fat Armenian Family. Based on his popular online short videos, the movie told the story of a cultural clash between Armenian immigrant parents and their Americanized teenage children, all unfolding over a weekend getaway in Palm Springs. Today, Ohanian continues to champion Armenian storytelling through a filmmaking scholarship fund he established with Qasabian, in partnership with the Armenian Educational Foundation, supporting aspiring filmmakers in Armenia.
Next up, Ohanian will produce Marvel’s animated series Eyes of Wakanda, releasing on Disney+ Aug. 27. He is also currently working on Chaganty’s Doppelgänger, which landed at Skydance following an intense bidding war, as Deadline reported exclusively.
Coogler’s high-profile writing-directing career launched with debut of his heart-wrenching Fruitvale Station, which grossed a stunning $17 million globally for a project produced on less than $1 million. His subsequent films have been enormous box office smash hits including a massive haul of $1.3 billion worldwide for Black Panther, $800 million worldwide for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and $275 million worldwide for Creed III.
Founded in 2015, Armenian Film Society is a nonprofit organization that champions Armenian films and empowers Armenian filmmakers. With branches in Los Angeles and London, AFS hosts year-round programming and has partnered with notable peers like Vidiots, American Cinematheque and Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
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