EXCLUSIVE: Armenian Film Society, which just wrapped its third annual Armenian Film Festival in Downtown Glendale earlier this month, will be opening a new headquarters, featuring an office space and microcinema, with the help of the city.
AFS HQ will serve as the official national office of the nonprofit organization, which spotlights Armenian talent and films, and a permanent home for the Armenian Film Festival team. The locale aims to be a hub for the local film community, running year-round programming including screenings, workshops, lectures and masterclasses.
With the goal of being a resource for both emerging and established creative talent, the 2,000 square-foot space will soon introduce educational initiatives and mentorship opportunities led by filmmakers hoping to inspire the next generation of storytellers. Earlier in the summer, AFS kicked off its inaugural workshop with Emmy-winning actor Michael Goorjian, who helmed Amerikatsi, the first Armenian production to be shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film; the performer-cum-director led a two-week filmmaking intensive with students who collaborated on producing a short film directed by Goorjian.
“This important show of support from the City of Glendale serves as a significant recognition of AFS’s impact and commitment building community over the past decade,” Armen Karaoghlanian, AFS Founder and CEO, said in a statement. “This new office space and microcinema will give us space to grow as we lay the foundation for our next 10 years and beyond.”
Founded in 2015, AFS is a creative and cultural hub that champions Armenian films and empowers Armenian filmmakers. With branches in Los Angeles and London, AFS hosts annual events and has partnered with notable peers like Vidiots, American Cinematheque and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
The organization recently wrapped the third edition of its namesake festival, which featured a conversation with Sinners director-writer Ryan Coogler and producer Sev Ohanian, of Proximity Media. AFS also hosted its inaugural Armenian Film Festival London in December of last year at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.
The post Armenian Film Society To Open New HQ And Microcinema With Support From City Of Glendale appeared first on Deadline.
