Golden Gate Armenian Film Festival
About Us
We founded Golden Gate Armenian Film Festival (GGAFF) with the goal to build and strengthen the connection between the Armenian film directors and the Armenian diaspora in the United States. We believe that this will bring a better understanding of the realities of Armenia to Armenians and the general public living in the United States.
Golden Gate Armenian Film Festival 2025
Welcome to the Festival!
A Winter’s Song (Angela Asatrian, 2025)
Welcome to the Festival!
This year’s festival features feature-length movies inspired by the lives of our celebrated artists, Charles Aznavour and Sergei Parajanov, as well as the inspiring comeback of Armenian weightlifter Nazik Avdalyan. Tamara Stepanyan’s documentary “My Armenian Phantoms,” celebrating the 100th anniversary of Armenian cinema, is Armenia’s submission to the Oscars in 2026. The premiere of “A Winter’s Song” in San Francisco will be a beautiful start to the Holiday season for the family. "Ojakh, the other side of silence", "Fight", and our selection of Armenian Shorts (celebrated at Cannes and Golden Apricot International Film Festival) will bring us closer to the Armenian life, touching subjects of family, war, and recent history.
Shorts (2024, 2025)
A Winter’s Song (Angela Asatrian, 2025)
Welcome to the Festival!
Saturday, November 22nd, 1:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
A selection of recent and highly acclaimed (Cannes, Golden Appricot International Festival) short movies from Armenian directors around the world. The movies will take the audience from Lebanon to Canada, the United States, and, of course, Armenia, touching on topics about family relations and war. Watch the trailers.
A Winter’s Song (Angela Asatrian, 2025)
A Winter’s Song (Angela Asatrian, 2025)
A Winter’s Song (Angela Asatrian, 2025)
Sunday, November 23rd, 1:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
Liana, a struggling musician at a crossroads, takes a leap of faith and travels to Armenia for the first time, desperate to reignite her passion for music. What begins as a search for inspiration soon becomes something more. Immersed in Armenia’s breathtaking landscapes, vibrant traditions, and soulful music, she discovers not only a culture that feels like home but also the strength to face her doubts and fears. Along the way, new friendships, family ties, and an unexpected romance open her to seeing life, and herself, in a different light. What started as a leap of faith unfolds into a journey of music, love, and belonging that transforms Liana’s life forever. Trailer coming soon.
Fight ( Lilit Movsisyan, 2024)
Ojakh, on the other side of silence (Diana Mkrtchian, 2024)
A Winter’s Song (Angela Asatrian, 2025)
Friday, November 21st, 4:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
In a traditional Armenian family, 16-year-old Karine dreams of becoming a veterinarian. However, her aspirations clash with her father's disapproval, who is also involved in dog-fights. He believes it's not a suitable career for women. Karine must decide whether to conform to her family's expectations or decide to follow her dreams, challenging the boundaries of tradition and gender roles. Watch the trailer.
Ojakh, on the other side of silence (Diana Mkrtchian, 2024)
Ojakh, on the other side of silence (Diana Mkrtchian, 2024)
Ojakh, on the other side of silence (Diana Mkrtchian, 2024)
Saturday, November 22nd, 4:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
The film follows a Turkish photographer named Erhan Arik, who grew up in a house where Armenians previously lived before the massacres of 1915. Haunted by a voice in a dream, he embarks on a journey to meet Armenians on the other side of the border and the "silence" that has shrouded the historical events.
My Armenian Phantoms (Tamara Stepanyan,2025)
Ojakh, on the other side of silence (Diana Mkrtchian, 2024)
Ojakh, on the other side of silence (Diana Mkrtchian, 2024)
Sunday, November 23rd, 4:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
Documentary film by director Tamara Stepanyan that explores her personal connection to Armenian cinema through the lens of her late father, Vigen Stepanyan, a famous film actor. The film is a nostalgic journey and tender posthumous letter to her father, weaving together her own life, identity, and the cinematic heritage of Armenia with personal memories and film archives, including clips from the country's cinematic history. The documentary is Armenia’s Oscar submission for the Best International Feature Film category for the 2026 Academy Awards. Watch the trailer.
I will revenge the world with love (Zara Jian, 2024)
Monsieur Aznavour ( Mehdi Idir, 2024)
Monsieur Aznavour ( Mehdi Idir, 2024)
Friday, November 21st, 7:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
Documentary-drama by Zara Jian that explores the life and work of the renowned Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov as a source of inspiration and a means to find a way forward through difficult personal and global events. After leaving her home country, the film's unnamed female author travels to Armenia to seek solace and meaning at the Parajanov Museum, using his artistic legacy to navigate and make sense of the current "toxic reality" and find a path toward hope. Watch the trailer.
Monsieur Aznavour ( Mehdi Idir, 2024)
Monsieur Aznavour ( Mehdi Idir, 2024)
Monsieur Aznavour ( Mehdi Idir, 2024)
Saturday, November 22nd, 7:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
A refugee's son with a husky voice defies expectations. Through hard work and determination, Charles Aznavour overcomes poverty to become a legendary singer and icon of French culture. Watch the trailer.
The reverse side of the medal (Anna Maxim, 2024)
Monsieur Aznavour ( Mehdi Idir, 2024)
The reverse side of the medal (Anna Maxim, 2024)
Sunday, November 23rd, 7:30pm, Vogue Theatre.
"The reverse side of the medal" is a sports drama that chronicles the extraordinary life and career of Nazik Avdalyan, a world champion and two-time European champion. After suffering a severe injury in a car accident, Nazik was forced to step away from competitive sports for seven years. Despite facing immense skepticism and enduring excruciating pain, she made a remarkable comeback, reclaiming her title as a two-time European champion. Her story is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the unwavering determination that makes the impossible achievable. Watch the trailer.
Sponsors
Live by Loving at the International Art Museum of America, San Francisco, November 16-23, 2025
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Free Entrance!
The exhibition is based on the idea of humanitarian support for the displaced people of Artsakh resettled in Armenia as a result of the 2020 war. The presence of a piece of carpet and family photos on the walls of their half-empty, uninviting, and half-destroyed dwellings were bright rays of hope for survival - a call to empathize with people, an imperative to review my archives, and to respond as an artist.
What does a photo document combined with a modern "carpet" convey? In some works, fabric is part of a photographic composition (this is not a collage). Due to the coverage of a certain part of the photograph, the story seems unfinished. There is no falsification here, and the pause implies the beginning of a new story, inviting the visitor to be interactive. The only artistic imperative is the following message: LET'S BRING LOVE and WARMTH TO THOSE HEARTS, LET'S LIVE BY LOVING.
Contact Us
Do you have questions about our festival? Would you like to suggest a film for next year's festival? Send us a message, and we will get back to you soon.
Golden Gate Armenian Film Festival
