Yerevan International Film Festival
Annual film festival in Yerevan, Armenia
The Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival (GAIFF ; Armenian : «Ոսկե Ծիրան» Երևանի միջազգային կինոփառատոն , romanized : "Voske Tsiran" Yerevani mijazgayin kinop'arraton ) is an annual film festival held in Yerevan , Armenia .[ 1] The festival was founded in 2004 with the co-operation of the "Golden Apricot" Fund for Cinema Development, the Armenian Association of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists. The GAIFF is continually supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia , the Ministry of Culture of Armenia and the Benevolent Fund for Cultural Development.The objectives of the festival are "to present new works by the film directors and producers in Armenia and foreign cinematographers of Armenian descent and to promote creativity and originality in the area of cinema and video art".[ 2]
History
Atom Egoyan at the third edition of the festival
The "Golden Apricot" Annual Film Festival was established in 2004 in Yerevan , by the "Golden Apricot" Fund for Cinema Development, the Armenian Association of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, the Ministry of Culture of Armenia and Benevolent Fund for Cultural Development. Canadian-Armenian director Atom Egoyan was named president of the festival since 2005.[ 3]
The Festival is dedicated to the theme of Crossroads of Cultures and Civilizations, and features a multitude of films representing various nations and religions, collectively depicting the richness of the human experience.
In 2005, the establishment of a network of filmmakers of the region entitled Directors Across Borders was initiated by the "Golden Apricot" Film Festival.[ 4]
Since 2005 "Golden Apricot" has been functioning under the aegis of the European Cultural Parliament.[ 5]
In 2010, the festival was awarded by the FICTS Plate D'honneur .[ 6]
In 2017, festival organizers cancelled the screening of an off-competition program entitled, "Armenians: Internal And External Views", with no reasons given. LGBT activists took to social media to criticize the cancellation, with some claiming that two LGBTQ+-themed films — Apricot Groves and Listen to Me: Untold Stories Beyond Hatred — were the reason for the cancellation. Atom Egoyan and Arsinée Khanjian , prominent Armenian Canadian figures in cinema, denounced this cancellation.[ 7] An open letter signed by filmmakers, activists, politicians, and others denouncing the cancellation was published,[ 8] and LGBTQ+ rights organizations Pink Armenia [ 9] and GALAS LGBTQ+ Armenian Society strongly criticized the censorship.[ 10] The EU 's Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum called on Armenian authorities to fulfill their international commitments, stating that "The incident... runs contrary to the process of Armenia's joining the Creative Europe programme".[ 11]
Awards and categories of competition
The major awards at the GAIFF are the Golden Apricot and Silver Apricot prizes for feature, documentary and Armenian panorama films. Lifetime achievement is recognized by the Parajonov's Thaler Award, named in honour of Sergei Parajanov .[ 12]
The various categories and prize names are as follows:[ 13]
International Feature Competition
1. "Golden Apricot" – Best Feature Film
2. "Silver Apricot" – Special Prize
International Documentary Competition
1. "Golden Apricot" – Best Documentary Film
2. "Silver Apricot" – Special Prize
"Apricot Stone" Short Film Competition
1. "Golden Stone" – Best Short Film
2. Special Prize
"Armenian Panorama" National Competition
1. "Golden Apricot" – Best Fiction Film
2. "Golden Apricot" – Best Documentary Film
3. "Silver Apricot" – Special Prize
Winners of the Grand Prix - Golden Apricot main prize for Best Feature Film
Awards GAIFF 2004
Awards GAIFF 2005
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
The Sun
Alexander Sokurov
Russia , Italy , Switzerland , France [ 15] [ 16]
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
4
Ilya Khrzhanovsky
Russia [ 15] [ 16]
Los Muertos (The Dead)
Lisandro Alonso
Argentina , Netherlands , France [ 15] [ 16]
Jury Special Mention
Paradise Girls
Fow Pyng Hu
Netherlands [ 15] [ 16]
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Documentary Film
3 Rooms Of Melancholia
Pirjo Honkasalo
Finland , Sweden , Denmark , Germany [ 15] [ 16]
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Documentary Film
Moskatchka
Annett Schutz
Latvia , Germany [ 15] [ 16]
Oh! Man
Yervant Gianikian , Angela Ricci Lucchi
Italy [ 15] [ 16]
Armenian Panorama Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Armenian Film
Hammer & Flame
Von (Vahan) Pilikian
United Kingdom [ 15] [ 16]
Under the Open Sky
Arman Yeritsyan
Armenia [ 15] [ 16]
The Road
Naira Muradyan
Armenia [ 15] [ 16]
Jury Diploma
Born in Fire
Suren Ter-Grigoryan
Armenia [ 15] [ 16]
Planet Zorthian
Arno Yeretzian , Sevag Vrej , Harout Arakelian , Lisa Tchakmakian
United States [ 15] [ 16]
One Balloon
Aram Hekinian , Aruna Naimji
United States [ 15] [ 16]
One Fine Morning (Un Beau Matin)
Serge Avedikian
France[ 15] [ 16]
Parajanov's Thaler – Lifetime Achievement Award
Abbas Kiarostami
Iran [ 15] [ 16]
Krzysztof Zanussi
Poland [ 15] [ 16]
Nikita Mikhalkov
Russia [ 15] [ 16]
Prize of the Armenian Filmmakers Union for the Best Director
Long Gone (Documentary)
Jack Cahil
United States [ 15] [ 16]
Prizes of the Armenian Association of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists for the Best Feature Film
My Father is an Engineer
Robert Guédiguian
France[ 15] [ 16]
Waiting for the Clouds
Yeşim Ustaoğlu
Turkey [ 15] [ 16]
Hrant Matevosyan Fund Prix for the Best Script in Armenian Panorama
The Road
Naira Muradyan
Armenia [ 15] [ 16]
Awards GAIFF 2006
Awards GAIFF 2007
Awards GAIFF 2008
Awards GAIFF 2009
Awards GAIFF 2010
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
Cosmos
Reha Erdem
Turkey , Bulgaria [ 25] [ 26]
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
My Joy
Sergei Loznitsa
Ukraine , Germany , Netherlands
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Documentary Film
Together
Pavel Kostomarov
Russia
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Documentary Film
The Woman With Five Elephants
Vadim Jendreyko
Germany , Switzerland
Armenian Panorama Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Armenian Film
The Last Tightrope Dancer in Armenia
Arman Yeritsyan , Inna Sahakyan
Armenia
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Armenian Film
Down Here
Comes Chahbazian
Belgium , France
Jury Special Mention
Uncle Valya
Nikolay Davtyan
Armenia
Parajanov's Thaler – Tribute to
Henri Verneuil
Armenia , France
Parajanov's Thaler – Lifetime Achievement Award"
Theo Angelopoulos
Greece
Claudia Cardinale
Italy
Special Prize "Master"
Claire Denis
France
Friðrik Þór Friðriksson
Iceland
Lee Chang-dong
South Korea
Stanislav Govorukhin
Russia
FIPRESCI Award
On the Path
Jasmila Žbanić
Bosnia and Herzegovina , Austria , Croatia , Germany
Ecumenical Jury Award
Don’t Look in the Mirror
Suren Babayan
Armenia
Jury Diploma
How I Ended This Summer
Alexei Popogrebski
Russia
British Council Award
Lernavan
Marat Sargsyan
Lithuania
Hrant Matevosyan Award
Awards GAIFF 2011
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
A Separation
Asghar Farhadi
Iran
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
The Journals of Musan
Park Jung-bum
South Korea
Jury Special Prize
The Prize
Paula Markovitch
Mexico , France , Poland , Germany
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Documentary Film
The World According to Ion B.
Alexander Nanau
Russia
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Documentary Film
Summer Pasture
Lynn True,
Nelson Walker III,
Tsering Perlo
United States , China
Jury Special Mention
Magnificent Nothing
Ahmad Seyedkeshmiri
Iran
Armenian Panorama Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Armenian Film
Loading My Life
Haroutyun Shatyan
Armenia
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Armenian Film
The Spaceship
Emil Mkrttchian
Sweden
Jury Special Mention
The Last Hippie of the Pink City
Anastasia Popova
Russia
Apricot Stone
Golden Apricot
Glasgow
Piotr Subbotko
Poland
Jury Special Mention
Bicycle
Serhat Karaaslan
Turkey
Parajanov's Thaler – Lifetime Achievement Award
Béla Tarr
Hungary
Fanny Ardant
France
Roman Balayan
Ukraine
Special Prize "Master"
Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Turkey
Wojciech Marczewski
Poland
Alexei Uchitel
Russia
FIPRESCI Award
Mandoo
Ebrahim Saeedi
Iraq
Ecumenical Jury Award
Europolis
Cornel Gheorghita
Romania , France
Jury Commendation
Steel Gates
Armen Khachatryan
Armenia
Armenian National Film Academy Award
The Prize
Paula Markovitch
Mexico , France , Poland , Germany
Armenian Filmmakers Union Award
Loading My Life
Haroutyun Shatyan
Armenia
British Council Award
Loading My Life
Haroutyun Shatyan
Armenia
Hrant Matevosyan Award
The Spaceship
Emil Mkrttchian
Sweden
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
In the Fog
Sergei Loznitsa
Belarus , Russia , Germany , Netherlands , Latvia
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
It Looks Pretty From a Distance
Anka Sasnal, Wilhelm Sasnal
Poland
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Documentary Film
5 Broken Cameras
Emad Burnat
Guy Davidi
Palestine
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Documentary Film
The Tundra Book. A Tale of Vukvukai, the Little Rock ,
Aleksei Vakhrushev
Russia
Jury Special Mention
Bakhmaro
Salome Jash
Georgia , Germany
Armenian Panorama Competition
Best Armenian Fiction Film - Golden Apricot
If Only Everyone
Natalya Belyauskene
Armenia
Best Armenian Documentary - Golden Apricot
Armenian Rhapsody
Cassiana Der Haroutiounian
Cesar Gananian, Gary Gananian
Brazil
Silver Apricot for Armenian Panorama
Nana
Valerie Massadian
France
Apricot Stone
Golden Apricot
When We Die At Night
Eduardo Morotó
Brazil
Jury Special Mention
Insignificant Details of the Accidental Episode
Mikhail Mestetsky
Russia
Parajanov's Thaler – Lifetime Achievement Award"
Víctor Erice
Spain
Agnieszka Holland
Poland
Eldar Shengelaia
Georgia
Award of the Apostolic Church of Armenia – "Let There Be Light"
Alexander Sokurov
Russia
FIPRESCI Award
The First Rains of Spring
Yerlan Nurmukhambetov
Sano Shinju
Japan , Kazakhstan
Ecumenical Jury Award
If Only Everyone
Natalya Belyauskene
Armenia
Jury Commendation
Future Lasts Forever
Özcan Alper
Turkey
Armenian National Film Academy Award
Grandma's Tattoos
Suzanne Khardalian
Sweden
British Council Award
Armenian Rhapsody
Cassiana Der Haroutiounian
Cesar Gananian, Gary Gananian
Brazil
Armenian Filmmakers Union Award
With Fidel Whatever Happens
Goran Radovanovic
Serbia
Hrant Matevosyan Award
Bad Father
Tigrane Avedikian
France
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
Circles
Srdan Golubović
Germany , Serbia ,France , Croatia , Slovenia
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
Parviz
Majid Barzegar
Iran
Jury Special Mention
Araf – Somewhere In-Between
Yeşim Ustaoğlu
Germany ,Franc , Turkey
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Documentary Film
The Last Black Sea Pirates
Svetoslav Stoyanov
Bulgaria
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Documentary Film
A World Not Ours
Mahdi Fleifel
United Kingdom
Armenian Panorama Competition
Best Armenian Fiction Film - Golden Apricot
I Am Going To Change My Name
Maria Sahakyan
Armenia , Russia , Denmark
Best Armenian Documentary - Golden Apricot
Saroyanland
Lusin Dink
Armenia ,France ,Turkey
Apricot Stone
Golden Apricot
Welcome and… Our Condolences
Leonid Prudovsky
Israel
Jury Special Mention
The Mother
Łukasz Ostalski
Poland
The Swing of the Coffin Maker
Elmár Imánov
Germany
Jury Diploma
Rhino Full Throttle
Erik Schmitt
Germany
Parajanov's Thaler – Lifetime Achievement Award"
Charles Aznavour
France , Armenia
István Szabó
Hungary
Margarethe von Trotta
Germany
Jos Stelling
Netherlands
Nerses Hovhannisyan
Armenia
Special Prize Master
Ulrich Seidl
Austria
Award of the Apostolic Church of Armenia – "Let There Be Light"
Artavazd Peleshyan
Armenia
British Council Award for the Armenian Panorama Competition
Embers
Tamara Stepanyan
Armenia , Lebanon , Qatar
Armenian Filmmakers Union Award
A Mere Life
Sanghun Park
South Korea
Hrant Matevosyan Award for the best script in the Armenian Panorama Competition
Broken Childhood
Jivan Avetisyan
Armenia
Awards GAIFF 2014
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
The Tribe
Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi
Ukraine
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
Blind Dates
Levan Koguashvili
Georgia , Ukraine
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Documentary Film
The Stone River
Giovanni Donfrancesco
Italy , France
[Domino Effect
Elwira Niewiera , Piotr Rosołowski
Poland , Germany
Armenian Panorama Competition
Golden Apricot
Milky Brother
Vahram Mkhitaryan
Armenia Poland
Golden Apricot
Tevanik
Jivan Avetisyan
Armenia , Lithuania
Silver Apricot
Romaticists
Shoghik Tedevosyan , Areg Azatyan
Armenia
Jury Diploma
Please Be Normal
Haik Kocharian
United States
Apricot Stone
Golden Apricot
Though I Know the River Is Dry
Omar Robert Hamilton
Palestine , Egypt , Qatar , United Kingdom
Jury Special Prize
Red Hulk
Assimina Proedrou
Greece
Parajanov's Thaler – For outstanding artistic contribution into world cinema
Jia Zhangke
China
Kim Ki-duk
South Korea
Amos Gitai
Israel
Otar Iosseliani
Georgia ,
Parajanov's Thaler – For outstanding contribution into world festival movement
Marco Müller
Italy
Special Prize Master
Christian Berger
Austria
Award of the Apostolic Church of Armenia – "Let There Be Light"
Krzysztof Zanussi
Poland
FIPRESCI Jury Award
The Tribe
Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi
Ukraine
EcumenicalL Jury Award
The Abode
Lusine Sargsyan
Armenia
Special Commendation
Blind Dates
Levan Koguashvili
Georgia ,
Armenian Filmmakers Union Award
Andin: Armenian Journey Chronicles
Ruben Giney
Armenia , China , Russia , India
Please Be Normal
Haik Kocharian
United States
Hrant Matevosyan Award for the best script in the Armenian Panorama Competition
Milky Brother
Vahram Mkhitaryan
Armenia Poland
Armen Mazmanian Special Award
Resurrection
Alain Manoukyan
Armenia
Awards GAIFF 2015
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
Embrace of the Serpent
Ciro Guerra
Colombia , Argentina , Venezuela
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
End of Winter
Kim Dae-hwan
South Korea
Jury Special Mention
Ixcanul
Jayro Bustamant
Guatemala , France
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot
The Creation of Meaning
Simone Rapisarda Casanova
Canada , Italy
Silver Apricot
A German Youth
Jean-Gabriel Périot
France , Germany , Switzerland
Armenian Panorama Competition
Golden Apricot
The Doctor
Anna Goroyan
Russia
One, Two, Three…
Arman Yeritsyan
Armenia , Germany , Norway
Jury Special Mention
Back To Gürün
Adrineh Gregorian
Armenia
Apricot Stone
Golden Apricot
Everything Will Be Okay
Patrick Vollrath
Austria ,Germany
Jury Special Prize
Chelleh
Davood Khayyam
Iran
Jury Special Mention
Family For Sale
Sébastien Petretti
Belgium
Parajanov's Thaler – For outstanding artistic contribution into world cinema
Ornella Muti
Italy
Nastassja Kinski
Germany
Special Prize Master
Patrick Chesnais
France
Award of the Apostolic Church of Armenia – "Let There Be Light"
Robert Guédiguian
France
FIPRESCI Jury Award
Moskvich, my love
Aram Shahbazyan
Armenia , Russia , France
Ecumenical Jury Award
Moskvich, my love
Aram Shahbazyan
Armenia , Russia , France
Special Commendation
Sivas
Kaan Müjdeci
Germany , Turkey
Hrant Matevosyan Award for the best script in the Armenian Panorama Competition
The Road
Gagik Madoyan
Armenia
Audience Award
Sanctuary
Marc Brummund
Germany ,
Awards GAIFF 2016
Category
Award
Film
Director
Country
International Feature Competition
Golden Apricot for Best Feature Film
Ungiven
Branko Schmidt
Croatia
Silver Apricot Special Prize for Feature Film
Immortal
Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh
Iran
Jury Special Mention
The Prosecutor, The Defender, The Father And His Son
Iglika Triffonova
Bulgaria , Sweden , Netherlands
International Documentary Competition
Golden Apricot
Across the Don
Evgeny Grigoriev
Russia
Silver Apricot
Don Juan
Jerzy Sladkowski
Sweden , Finland
Jury Special Mention
Curumim
Marcos Prado
Brazil
Armenian Panorama Competition
Golden Apricot
Leopard's Silence
France
Good Morning
Anna Arevshatyan
Armenia
Stony Paths
Arnaud Khayadjanian
France
Jury Special Mention
28:94 Local Time
David Safarian
Armenia , Germany , Netherlands
Parajanov's Thaler – For outstanding artistic contribution into world cinema
Jacqueline Bisset
United States
Želimir Žilnik
Serbia
Ruben Gevorgyants
Armenia
Special Prize Master
Fred Kelemen
Germany
Vitaly Mansky
Russia
Award of the Apostolic Church of Armenia – "Let There Be Light"
Roman Balayan
Armenia , Ukraine
FIPRESCI Jury Award
Ungiven
Branko Schmidt
Croatia
Ecumenical Jury Award
Immortal
Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh
Iran
Hrant Matevosyan Award for the best script in the Armenian Panorama Competition
28:94 Local Time
David Safarian
Armenia , Germany , Netherlands
Festival's president Award
About Love
Anna Melikian
Russia
See also
References
External links
By year Key people and venues