On April 30, 2025, a meeting with broad participation from representatives of the Armenian film industry was held at the Union of Film Professionals of Armenia. Among the attendees were members of the Union, professional guilds, associations, film producers, and over 50 representatives from various organizations. The meeting was prompted by concerns surrounding the new regulations for organizing and conducting state funding competitions in the field of cinematography.
During the discussion, it was emphasized that the document published by the Cinema Foundation of Armenia had raised serious concerns among professionals in the field. Participants noted that such documents should be developed in the interest of the industry’s growth and with the broad inclusion and consensus of field specialists.
At the end of the discussion, an open letter addressed to RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan was prepared and adopted. It was signed by both organizations and individual film professionals.
Among the signatories are the Guild of Film Directors and Producers of Armenia, the Guild of Cinematographers of Armenia, animation association, production studios, and dozens of independent filmmakers.
The letter specifically states:
Dear Madam Minister,
We address you regarding issues related to the regulations for holding the public funding competition in the field of cinema.
We thank you for redirecting the proposals previously made by filmmakers to the Armenian National Cinema Foundation.
At the same time, we draw your attention to the following key points:
- Neither in the competition regulations nor in any other document has any information been published regarding the contract to be signed between the Foundation and the producer.
The competition implies future relationships, and film producers have the right to know in advance, before participating in the competition, what kind of contract will be signed between them and the Foundation as a result of project approval.
We ask you to confirm before the competition deadline that the contract to be signed with the film producers will not contradict the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Cinematography” (specifically Articles 3, 9, and 10), according to which state funding for cinema is considered gratuitous support provided to the film producer.- Neither in the competition regulations nor in any other document is there any information about the distribution of the budget among the branches of cinema, which again contradicts the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Cinematography,” specifically Article 22.
In a previously submitted proposal, the filmmaking community reached a consensus through extensive discussion: feature films — 40%, documentaries — 30%, animated films — 30%.
Such a distribution logic will ensure the balanced development of all fields.- We inform you that the regulation has been adopted by the Director of the Armenian National Cinema Foundation without being discussed with the filmmakers who submitted the proposals, and a competition has already been announced based on this regulation.
There has been no announcement or reply indicating on what basis some provisions were accepted and others not, even though all the proposals were substantiated and reflected the unified stance of the proposing filmmakers.
Thus, the adopted regulation contains concerning provisions that contradict the Law “On Cinematography” of the Republic of Armenia and must be corrected before the announced competition deadline, including:
Chapter 2, Clauses 7, 8;
Chapter 3, Clause 30;
Chapter 4, Clause 40 (the phrase “in case of availability of financial resources” cannot be part of the regulation);
Chapter 5, Clauses 63, 65.There are also clauses in the approved regulation that do not reflect the best interests of filmmakers, although these were substantiated in the previously submitted proposal packages.
Let us present a few striking examples:
Chapter 2, Clause 5;
Chapter 3, Clause 17;
From Clause 19 of Chapter 4, the word “post-production” should be removed, since if feature and animation projects that have already begun filming are not allowed to participate in the production-related competition, they must at least have the right to participate in the post-production competition, if that stage was not already funded.
Chapter 3, Clause 35;
Chapter 3, Clause 39;
Chapter 4, Clause 42;
Chapter 5, Clause 59.In Appendix 3, the mechanisms for financial support to students are unclear and cannot be considered part of the production budget, especially given the existing priority for debut films.
In Chapter 5, Clause 68, the following change should be made: the phrase “…in case of signing a contract” should be replaced with “…after signing a contract.”Dear Madam Minister,
We kindly ask you to assure us that amendments will be made by the competition deadline to the clauses of the Regulation that contradict the Law “On Cinematography” of the Republic of Armenia, and it will be officially announced that the adopted regulation is transitional, and that by the next competition announcement, the above-mentioned provisions that do not reflect the best interests of filmmakers will be revised, as together with the First and Second points, they hinder the development of Armenian cinema.
With care, we express our willingness to be involved in the upcoming work and to participate in processes aimed at the development of Armenian cinema.Respectfully,
Union of Film Professionals of Armenia
Guild of Film Directors and Producers of Armenia
- Արտյոմ Բաղդասարյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր, գիլդիայի նախագահ
Artyom Baghdasaryan – Film Director, Producer, President of the Guild- Իննա Սահակյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր, Բարս Մեդիա վավերագրական ֆիլմերի ստուդիա
Inna Sahakyan – Film Director, Producer, Bars Media Documentary Film Studio- Կարինե Սիմոնյան – պրոդյուսեր
Karine Simonyan – Producer- Մարինա Վարդանյան – պրոդյուսեր
Marina Vardanyan – Producer- Օվսանա Գևորգյան – կինոռեժիսոր
Ovsanna Gevorgyan – Film Director- Հրանտ Մովսիսյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Hrant Movsisyan – Film Director, Producer- Զառա Ջյան – պրոդյուսեր, ռեժիսոր, Բումերանգ Մեդիա
Zara Jian – Producer, Director, Boomerang Media- Ռոման Մուշեղյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Roman Musheghyan – Film Director, Producer- Սերժ Գաբյան – կինոռեժիսոր
Serge Gabyan – Film Director- Ծովինար Մկրտչյան – պրոդյուսեր
Tsovinar Mkrtchyan – Producer- Վիկտորյա Ալեքսանյան – կինոռեժիսոր
Victoria Aleksanyan – Film Director- Արմեն Սիմոնյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Armen Simonyan – Film Director, Producer- Արամ Շահբազյան – կինոռեժիսոր
Aram Shahbazyan – Film Director- Րաֆֆի Մովսիսյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Raffi Movsisyan – Film Director, Producer- Արման Երիցյան – կինոռեժիսոր
Arman Yeritsyan – Film Director- Արևիկ Ավանեսյան – պրոդյուսեր
Arevik Avanesyan – Producer- Հայկ Թադևոսյան – պրոդյուսեր
Hayk Tadevosyan – Producer- Գուժ Թադևոսյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Guj Tadevosyan – Film Director, Producer- Արամ Թորոսյան – պրոդյուսեր, Academy Films
Aram Torosyan – Producer, Academy Films- Վահան Գրիգորյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Vahan Grigoryan – Film Director, Producer- Գոշ Հակոբյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Gosh Hakobyan – Film Director, Producer- Վարդան Հակոբյան – պրոդյուսեր
Vardan Hakobyan – Producer- Դիաննա Ավետիսյան – պրոդյուսեր
Diana Avetisyan – Producer- Սոնա Խաչատրյան – կինոռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Sona Khachatryan – Film Director, Producer- Անի Որսկանյան – պրոդյուսեր
Ani Vorskanian – Producer- Մարիա Սահակյան – պրոդյուսեր
Maria Sahakyan – Producer- Անժելիկա Թամարյան – պրոդյուսեր
Angelika Tamaryan – Producer- Նարեկ Նազարյան – պրոդյուսեր
Narek Nazaryan – Producer- Միքաել Պողոսյան – պրոդյուսեր
Mikael Poghosyan – Producer- Աղասի Ազարյան – ռեժիսոր
Aghasi Azaryan – Director- Անահիտ Բաղինյան – մոնտաժի ռեժիսոր
Anahit Baginyan – Editor- Արթուր Սահակյան – ռեժիսոր
Artur Sahakyan – Director- Մարիամ Դավթյան – պրոդյուսեր
Mariam Davtyan – Producer- Մհեր Գաբրիելյան – սցենարիստ
Mher Gabrielyan – Screenwriter- Ռուբեն Ղազարյան – ռեժիսոր, մոնտաժի ռեժիսոր
Ruben Ghazaryan – Director, Editor- Տիգրան Հովսեփյան – պրոդյուսեր
Tigran Hovsepyan – Producer- Վահան Սեթոյան – ռեժիսոր, մոնտաժի ռեժիսոր
Vahan Setoyan – Director, Editor
Guild of Cinematographers of Armenia
- Նախագահ՝ Մկրտիչ Մալխասյան
President: Mkrtich Malkhasyan- Փոխնախագահ՝ Վահագն Տեր-Հակոբյան
Vice President: Vahagn Ter-Hakobyan- Խորհրդի անդամներ՝ Սուրեն Թադևոսյան, Աննա Տեր-Գաբրելյան
Board Members: Suren Tadevosyan, Anna Ter-Gabrielyan
Association of Animation Companies of Armenia
- «Բադակտուց Փրոդաքշըն» ՍՊԸ – Զաքար Դեմիրճյան
Badaktoots Production LLC – Zakhar Demirchyan- «Մուսո Ստուդիա» ՍՊԸ – Րաֆֆի Մովսիսյան
Muso Studio LLC – Raffi Movsisyan- «Մուլտարտ+» ՍՊԸ – Արթուր Միքայելյան
MultArt+ LLC – Artur Mikayelyan- «Քեյ Անիմեյշն» ՍՊԸ – Նորայր Գյուզալյան
K Animation LLC – Norayr Gyuzalyan- «ՕՆ ՕՖՖ ՍՏՈՒԴԻԱ» ՍՊԸ – Տիգրան Առաքելյան
ON OFF Studio LLC – Tigran Arakelyan- «ԱՐՏՍՏԵՊ-ՍՏՈՒԴԻԱ» ՍՊԸ – Արմինե Հարությունյան
ArtStep Studio LLC – Armine Harutyunyan- «ԴԻՋԻՖԻԼԴ» ՍՊԸ – Իզաբելլա Ներսիսյան
DigiField LLC – Isabella Nersisyan- «ՍՏՈՒԴԻԱ 33» ՍՊԸ – Գուրգեն Պարոնյան
Studio 33 LLC – Gurgen Paronyan- «ՊՈՊՈՔ ԷՆԻՄԵՅՇՆ» ՍՊԸ – Աղվան Խաչատրյան
Popok Animation LLC – Aghvan Khachatryan- «ՀՈՇԿԻ ՖԻԼՄ» ՍՊԸ – Արմինե Աբրահամյան
Hoshki Film LLC – Armine Abrahamyan
Guild of Animation of Armenia
- Արմինե Անդա – ռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր, գիլդիայի նախագահ
Armine Anda – Director, Producer, President of the Guild- Աննա Զաքարյան – պրոդյուսեր
Anna Zakaryan – Producer- Սուսաննա Խաչատրյան – պրոդյուսեր
Susanna Khachatryan – Producer- Արթուր Միքայելյան – ռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Artur Mikayelyan – Director, Producer- Գրիգոր Պողոսյան – ռեժիսոր, պրոդյուսեր
Grigor Poghosyan – Director, Producer- Սոնա Ասատրյան – պրոդյուսեր
Sona Asatryan – Producer- Իրեն Ստեփանյան – ռեժիսոր
Iren Stepanyan – Director- Գայանե Բաբայան – նկարիչ, անիմատոր
Gayane Babayan – Artist, Animator- Մարիամ Հովհաննիսյան – նկարիչ, անիմատոր
Mariam Hovhannisyan – Artist, Animator- Հեղնար Պետրոսյան – նկարիչ
Heghnar Petrosyan – Artist- Մերի Աղախանյան – ռեժիսոր
Meri Aghakhanyan – Director
Guild of Screenwriters of Armenia
- Նախագահ՝ Լևոն Գալստյան
President: Levon Galstyan- Անդամներ / Members:
- Արմեն Վաթյան – Armen Vatyan
- Էդգար Բաղդասարյան – Edgar Baghdasaryan
- Կարինե Խոդիկյան – Karine Khodikyan
- Անի Հայկազյան – Ani Haykazyan
- Արփի Վանյան – Arpi Vanyan
- Գարիկ Մաշկարյան – Garik Mashkaryan
- Քնարիկ Միրզոյան – Khnarik Mirzoyan
- Գոհար Մեժլումյան – Gohar Mezhlumyan
- Դիանա Գրիգորյան – Diana Grigoryan
- Անահիտ Շահսուվարյան – Anahit Shahsuvaryan
The open letter remains open for signature by other film professionals who wish to join.
It should be reminded that this situation arose due to the regulations for holding state funding competitions published by the Cinema Foundation of Armenia. These regulations were developed and adopted without full consultation and consensus with the professional community. This was the reason why representatives of the field came together on April 30 to consolidate their concerns and demands and present them to the Ministry.
