Armenian Film Festival Australia (AFFA) celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year with its most ambitious program to date, bringing acclaimed international cinema and filmmakers, Australian stories, special anniversary events and unique cultural experiences to audiences across the country.
Since launching in 2016 as a local community-led initiative, AFFA has grown into Australia's only national festival dedicated to Armenian and Armenian diaspora cinema. In 2026, the festival expands to Perth for the first time, joining Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and marking an exciting new chapter in AFFA's evolution.
The 2026 festival brings some of Armenian cinema’s most compelling voices to Australia, including acclaimed filmmakers Inna Sahakyan, director of Outliving Shakespeare; Tamara Stepanyan, director of award-winning In the Land of Arto; and Armen Karaoghlanian, founder of the Armenian Film Society in the USA. Plus, the tenth anniversary of festival isn’t the only celebration, this year’s event will bring the highly acclaimed film Lion back to screens for its own tenth birthday.
Highlights of the 2026 festival include:
· Opening Night: Vazgen: The Last Sparapet, Armenia’s highest-grossing film of 2025 and a portrait of national hero Vazgen Sargsyan.
· Closing Night: Outliving Shakespeare, with acclaimed director Inna Sahakyan attending in person.
· Award-winning cinema: In the Land of Arto, presented by director Tamara Stepanyan and recognised with multiple honours at the 2026 Anahit Awards.
· 10th Anniversary Screening: Lion, marking the 10th anniversary of the acclaimed Australian film, followed by a special Q&A with Executive Producer Shahen Mekertician.
· Cinema and Soul – An Evening with Krista Marina: Exclusive to Sydney, a special screening of A Winter's Song followed by an intimate live jazz performance by the film's featured vocalist, Krista Marina.
· Australian Stories: For the first time, AFFA shines a spotlight on five locally produced Armenian stories, highlighting the growing contribution of Australian filmmakers to Armenian and diaspora cinema.
· AFFA Awards: Returning for a second year, the jury-led awards recognise excellence in Armenian and Armenian diaspora filmmaking and celebrate outstanding creative achievement.
· Best of AFFA: Anniversary screenings revisit some of the festival's standout films from its first decade, including the festivals first film ‘Aram, Aram’ and in demand Aurora's Sunrise and Amerikatsi.
Beyond the screen, AFFA invites audiences to immerse themselves in Armenian culture. From the excitement of Opening Night to filmmaker conversations, live music, Armenian food and wine, and special social and cultural events, the festival creates a vibrant atmosphere celebrating storytelling, creativity and connection.
Popular festival experiences also return in 2026, including Ladies Night and Flix & Mix for Under 35s, alongside comedy, family films, documentaries and special events designed to welcome both long-time festival supporters and audiences discovering Armenian cinema for the first time.
AFFA Co-Founders and Co-Directors Margaret Chater and Hourie Demirjian said the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate how far the festival has come while looking towards its next decade.
"Ten years ago, we set out to share Armenian stories with Australian audiences. Today, AFFA has become a celebration of cinema, culture and conversation that welcomes people from all backgrounds. As we celebrate this milestone and expand to Perth, we're excited to continue building connections through the power of storytelling."
The festival is honoured to be supported by its distinguished Patrons, The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian and Zareh Nalbandian, whose longstanding commitment to arts, culture and community reflects the values at the heart of AFFA. As it enters its second decade, AFFA continues to champion exceptional cinema while creating new opportunities for cultural exchange, creative collaboration and connection between communities.
Armenian Film Festival Australia runs across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in 2026.
For festival dates, tickets and the full program, visit:
