Armenians in Film Pasadena

Victoria Aleksanyan is a director from Armenia. She holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Cinematography Production from Columbia University School of Arts. Her student short film "Caregivers" premiered at Armenia's largest and the most celebrated film festival - Golden Apricot IFF in 2014 and won Best Foreign Picture award at Sunset Film Festival in Los-Angeles, USA. "Crossing the Blue", a narrative short, co-written, directed and co-produced by Victoria, is Armenia/Netherlands/USA co-production. The film premiered in July 2022 at Golden Apricot IFF’s Official Competition, and internationally at the Cinemed Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival’s Official Competition. The film received “Best Actress” Award in Malta Short Film Festival, and “Best Cinematography” Award in Yerevan Short Film Festival, Armenia.

Vahan Grigoryan is an aspiring film director and screenwriter, who was born and grew up in Yerevan, Armenia. He is an international relations specialist by trade but has never worked in the field. Despite this, Vahan believes that cinema possesses a "diplomatic" mission. He has dedicated his career to graphic design. His relationship with art started from childhood. Vahan’s father managed the Yerevan Theatre of the Young Spectator for many years. As a child, Vahan spent countless hours within the walls of the theater, absorbing the magic of live performances and the boundless possibilities of storytelling. It was during these years that he first dared to dream of making movies one day.

In 2021, Vahan courageously decided to follow his heart and embrace his childhood-inspired passion for filmmaking. He wrote and directed his debut short film, titled "The Mud”. It is an intriguing dramedy that explores the unexpected situations that happen when someone is caught in a never-ending web of coincidences. "The Mud" represents a significant milestone in his career, showcasing his deep passion for storytelling and his unwavering commitment to creating engaging and thought-provoking cinema. “The Mud” won in 2 different categories at the Yerevan International Short Film Festival - "Best Director" and “The Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography Special Prize.”

With a genuine love for cinema and a desire to create meaningful narratives, Vahan embarks on this journey with humility and hunger for learning. He approaches each project with an open mind, eager to collaborate with talented individuals who share the same passion for storytelling.

Currently, Vahan is in the post-production stage of his second short film, "The Egg” as its director and screenwriter, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

Arman Ayvazyan was born in 1994 in Yerevan, Armenia. He graduated from the Armenian Pedagogical Institute in 2016 with a focus in film directing. He later attended the Russian State University of Cinematography named after Sergei Gerasimov (VGIK), where he graduated in 2022 with a specialization in the department of directing non-fiction films.
Arman now works as a documentary filmmaker in his native country of Armenia and has seen his work showcased at several prestigious film festivals, including but not limited to the Silver Scad Film Festival (Sevastopol, 2022 Winner: Best Director), the Golden Short Film Festival (Avezzano, 2022), the Prague International Film Awards (Prague), and the Window to Europe Film Festival (St. Petersburg).

Charlotte Mungomery is a Director & Artist based in Eastern Australia.

Known for her signature style, Charlotte’s work focuses on experimental filmmaking, playing daringly with narrative & aesthetic abstractions. Charlotte’s background as an APDG award winning production designer informs her formally inventive & subversive approach to cinema & art creation. Her work plays daringly with narrative & aesthetic abstractions.

Charlotte’s filmography includes A DELICATE FIRE, UNTIL WE TOUCH, THE ROAD and THIS IS NOT HERE.

Charlotte’s work has been featured in film festivals across Australia and internationally. Her short documentary project, UNTIL WE TOUCH was selected for the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Atlanta DocFest, Montreal Independent Film Festival & won ‘Best Film’ at Seoul International Short Film Festival. It is now exhibited at the Swedish Postal Museum in Stockholm. Her short jazz film THE ROAD premiered on NOWNESS.

Charlotte co-created and production designed the feature film A DELICATE FIRE for the Pinchgut Opera Company. A DELICATE FIRE was part of the official selection at the 2022 Revelation Perth International Film Festival. Last year, Charlotte was selected to attend Playlab Films Creators Lab ‘Filming in The Amazon’ where she directed the short film THIS IS NOT HERE under the mentorship of Apichatpong Weerasethakul. This film was selected as part of a group exhibit with Weerasethakul at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and is part of the official selection at this year's Melbourne International Film Festival, SXSW Sydney & Vancouver International Film Festival.

Charlotte is currently developing and writing her solo directorial debut feature TOAD MOUTH.

The Zela Margossian Quintet is an ARIA nominated ethno-jazz band based in Sydney, performing original works and arrangements carrying influences from Armenian traditional music.

Composed of talented and multicultural musicians from Sydney, the Zela Margossian Quintet creates an exotic musical atmosphere that is sure to take you on an emotive and pleasurable journey. Transition, the band’s debut album, received an ARIA nomination for Best World Music Album category in October 2019. The Quintet held their debut performance at the prestigious Sydney Opera House in December 2020, and have since participated in different festivals in Sydney and around the world such as the International Women’s Jazz Festival, the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, the Sydney Festival, and the Beirut International Jazz Festival.

Tatiana Boudakian graduated in Social Communication and Marketing in 2014 and completed her post-graduate education in Audiovisual Production Design in 2018. In 2015, after spending six months in Armenia through its Birthright Program, she started working in photography and cinematography. In addition to her work in the advertisement business and NGOs, she always engages in artistic and personal projects. She has participated in several short films, ranging from documentaries to fictional stories. She has served as the director's assistant and production design coordinator for "A Outra" and "Algo sobre Ilda," both directed by Gary Gananian. She has also worked as the director of photography and editor for "Laura," directed by Isabela Tortato, and as the director and producer for "Avesso," "Cantinho," "Depois que acordo," and the documentary "Musicando". Currently, she is exhibiting her own Armenian film titled "Dehatsi - Eu era outro lugar" in several film festivals around the world.