1st Arpa Int’l Film Festival 1997

On April 27, 1997, the AFFMA Foundation for Film, Music and Art presented the First Annual Arpa International Film Festival in Alfred Hitchcock Theatre at the Universal Studios in Universal City. It wasn’t a competition film festival and neither was it called ‘international’ yet. Producers Hank Moonjean and Howard Kazanjian were the honorary guests (sitting in front of Silvia Minassian, the founder and chairperson of AFFMA and Paul Peterson, screenwriter and honorary advisory board member of the foundation.) Among the enthusiastic participants, we see Harut Sassounian, the executive director of the United Armenian Fund and producer; artist and writer Vahé Berberian; filmmakers Vahe Babaian, Ruben Kochar, Ara Madzounian, Shahan Minas-sian and Narbeh Nazarian; actor and producer Vache Mangassarian; actor Shant Bejanian and other guests as well as the members of the board. Festival Screenings in Alfred Hitchcock Theatre at the Universal Studios in Universal City.