Festival Winners and Highlights 2020 Awards Show

 

BEST MUSIC VIDEO AWARD – It’s a Tie!

Even though our festival is not dedicated solely to music videos we are thrilled again this year to bring our nominated music videos where film and music meet and entertain audiences who love both forms. Click on music video titles to read more about each award winner:

Animation not only has changed the course of Hollywood it has also taken its unique place on a platform worldwide for artists to create beautiful effects and ideas that truly matter to every age . The older we get we are so inspired by this genre with its rich visuals , colorful scenes , characters that captivate and make us feel the nostalgia of our childhood days. This is story telling with imaginative concepts on so many levels. Click on image below to read more about this film.

Our Best Short Documentary Award is a new award category for us this year. They provide us with significant aspects of reality on themes and events that create a historical tapestry bringing light to our sense of identity igniting our conflicting emotions that  might transform us and provide us with insights paving the way for solutions. Click on image below to read more about this film.

BEST SHORT FILM AWARD – It’s a Tie!

Regardless of language and cultural differences, short films provide us with such flexibility and will continue to be a vital part of cinema .arpa film festival always found their shorts charming and endearing. They have always captured the attention of our audience. Our festival feels their importance  and gives these creative filmmakers new ways to tell their stories and a chance to be noticed. Click on film titles to read more about each award winner:

The multifaceted world of feature length documentary films is meant  To inform  and help us understand on a deeper  level differences that exist in the human story . These  Independent gifted filmmakers are driven with artistic expression championing the future of storytelling  with their personal artistic vision that comes from their own experiences and spirit. Click on image below to read more about this film.

This year we happen to have two jury members who happen to be the recipients of the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship award in screenwriting  Eric Nazarian and Anthony Griego. As we welcome screenplays of every genre and theme our jury looks for originality and diversity. Our festival strives to provide exposure and support  to screenwriters who create emotionally impactful storytelling. Click on image below to read more about this film.

A director’s role is multidimensional. From choosing the cast, technical crew, production design, and everything in between creating the overall creative vision till the end winning the trust, respect and support.This is the meaning of admired leadership. Click on image below to read more about this film.

What makes a good movie? Is it the plot? The characters? The details? A great ending? The list is endless. A Good film has to be compelling and exciting to our film loving audience without losing its message. Click on image below to read more about this film.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the filmmakers for sharing their visions with the world, and congratulations to all the Winners! And a special Thank You to all of you who joined us this year.

2020 Arpa International Film Festival Team

Our 2020 Arpa International Film Festival Team consists of a experienced and youthful group of professionals from wide cross section of the film industry. Their ideas and mutual creative force are what drives the festival’s production and programming, in order to give both the filmmakers and the audience the best festival experience possible.

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Festival Founder

Sylvia Minassian who always had a deep passion for languages and the arts since her youth, holds a Master’s Degree in French Literature. Her passion for the arts led her to start a foundation to promote the arts. Arpa Foundation for Film, Music and Art (AFFMA) was founded in 1995 to provide a platform for filmmakers, musicians and artists, whose work explores subjects of social and cultural importance. In 1997, Sylvia Minassian started the annual Arpa International Film Festival, with a mission to create a dynamic forum for international and local filmmakers who explore such issues as diaspora, war, genocide, dual-identity, exile and multiculturalism. Minassian believes that a festival is first and foremost a product of its participants. She takes great pride in representing AFFMA, a non-profit art foundation whose sole purpose is to recognize the diverse tapestry of international talent and presenting their creative work to an appreciative audience. Each year, the festival looks forward to screen an exceptional program of films from many different countries, taking great pride in the works of all of the filmmakers who, in their brilliant visions, have created their own distinctive place in the Global Film Community.

 

MARAL-KAZAZIAN-Festival-Marketing

Festival Director

Maral Kazazian is one of the first members of AFFMA. She holds a degree in chemistry, but her passion for films takes her around globally, and along with her husband they have become serious students of cinema. Maral’s deep interest in photography allows her to connect deeper with people and the many avenues they encounter along the way, she reviews films and invites online audience to engage in creative dialogue on international and independent films.

 

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Jury Liaison

Sonia Keshishian holds a master degree in Dramatic Arts from the CSU in LA. While attending the Theater of Arts, Sonia was one of 40 students selected for the prestigious UCLA summer workshop theatre where she was singled out by the Los Angeles Times, Variety and the Hollywood Reporter for her work. She has acted opposite such acting giants like Ruth Warrick, James Whitmore, Betty Field, and Walter Abel in several theatre productions. Sonia has been a board member of AFFMA since its inception serving as jury liaison where experienced industry professionals pave the way for these talented filmmakers into perfecting their craft.

 

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Festival Producer, Technical Director, Programming & Print Traffic Manager

Vanja Srdic is a Los Angeles based producer, filmmaker and technical director with extensive experience in the entertainment industry, and enormous love for timeless music. His expertise is creative direction, production and technical management of digital film screening presentations at multi-venue film festivals and other events. As an owner of Frame House Media, Vanja is managing a creative team specializing in video production, website design and digital content delivery, and runs all technical aspects of the Arpa International Film Festival.

 

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Festival Photographer

Don Q. Hannah is a Vice President, Creative Services at Film Solutions LLC, and founder/principal artist at Parallusion Media Group. Don is a member of the executive committee for AFFMA since 2004 and serves as the official photographer for the Arpa International Film Festival.

 

06 JACKLIN Boyadjian Director of Development

Director of Development

Jacklin Boyadjian earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UCLA, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She then pursued a Masters Degree in Public Policy at Pepperdine University. This was followed by a Juris Doctorate degree in 2016, where she represented her school in the Roger Traynor California Appellate Moot Court Competition. Since August 2019 she has been employed by Wilshire Law Firm and is a contributing board member for numerous charitable organizations, including VP of the Armenian International Medical Fund. Prior to joining Wilshire Law Firm, she was with Mardirossian & Associates for 7 years. Jacklin has used her extensive experience in public relations to assist with political campaigns and in the organization of receptions for judicial leaders. She served as Executive Director of the Armenian Bar Association from 2010 to 2014.

 

Lilit_Harutyunyan_Development

Development

Lilit Harutyunyan was born in Echmiadzin city, Armenia. She started playing the violin at the age of five, later continuing her education in one of the respected music schools in Yerevan, Armenia, Sayat Nova Music School. Lilit moved to the United States with her family in 1997. First, Lilit continued her education at Glendale Community Collage in Art History, later transferring to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Art History. One of the greatest times of Lilit’s life was her time in Paris as a student at University of California in Paris. After returning to Los Angeles and graduating form UCLA, Lilit started her career in art consulting, artist representation, curating art shows and working with various art dealers and galleries in Los Angeles. Lilit joined the Hi-Am Charity Foundation team as Director of the Art Department in 2004. Since then she has helped the foundation with organizing various art exhibitions and concerts. Recently Lilit received her Juris Doctorate from University of West Los Angeles in California and currently she balances her legal career with art and music projects in Los Angeles.

 

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Development

Berge Kallibjian is a Million Dollar Round Table agent with New York Life. Having studied English and Political Science at UCLA, he has used his extensive knowledge and experience in marketing, sales and client relations to assist in countless fundraising efforts for many nonprofits, spanning 20 years. As a coordinator for the New York Life Foundation and serving on committees for many nonprofits, his passion for helping others is exemplified in his selfless work.

 

Sossi Varbedian

Head of Administration

Sossi Varbedian has a passion and great appreciation for music, culture, languages and the arts. She studied Business Marketing and is currently studying English Literature. Attending Arpa Int’l Film Festival’s 20th Anniversary last year at the Egyptian theatre, left her with a lasting impression that sparked an interest to getting involved with the festival. She now serves as the festivals secretary. She’s passionate about how Arpa IFF cultivates and advances culture and art by bringing a treasured value to the community.

 

CAMMIE JONES Festival Programmer

Head Programmer

Cammie Jones is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker by day, Artist by Night, Film Lover all the time! She is currently working on a drawing/street photo project, Public Transportation to Fancy Restaurants, capturing over 50 restaurants so far.
#MagneticARTbycammiejones
cammiejones.com

 

Masis Markar, festival programmer

Programmer

Masis Markar is Armenian-American filmmaker, writer and film restoration professional. He has applied his 20 years of expertise to restore such classics as How Green Was My Valley, A Hard Days’ Night, and All That Jazz. He has restored historical news reels as well as the personal family archives of past US presidents, royalty, international politicians, and silver screen stars. He is one of the few people in the world that has been trained on the fabric dye tint technique that was used in the silent era. He continues to write and work on his own projects. In his free time Masis enjoys visiting museums and the zoo with his wife and son.

 

Silva Karageozian, Festival Community Liaison

Programmer & Community Liaison

Silva Karageozian has lived in Southern California for most of her life. She is an alumna of UC Irvine and earned a Political Science degree. She worked in the environmental field in public relations. Later she earned a multiple subject credential and taught school in LA and Orange Counties. She left the classroom and joined Digital Networks where her work focused on the integration of technology in education. As a full time parent she became an active volunteer in her local community. This spirit of volunteerism led her back to her alma mater, where she aligned with the UCI Armenian Studies Program. She has worked to promote awareness and raise funds for Western Armenian language instruction and is co-chair of the Director’s Circle for Armenian Studies at UCI. She also chartered the UCI Armenian American Alumni Chapter. She loves classic movies and documentaries. Being part of the AFFMA and the Arpa International Film Festival is an exciting way to explore and examine intriguing and relevant topics through the medium of film. She is so honored to be part of the festival Programming Team this year!

 

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Social Media Manager

As an Armenian-Venezuelan born and raised in Los Angeles, Lori Sinanian wears many hats that derive from her interest in the intersection of different modes of communicating. Sinanian holds a degree in English Literature from the University of California, Irvine. Throughout her undergraduate career, she explored the various ways to use language to effectively communicate, such as through the Newport Beach Film Festival, Anteater Television, and Insight Magazine. Through her degree, she has obtained the power of the impact of words, but always with an eye for advocacy, storytelling, and social justice.

 

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Graphic Design & Video Production Coordinator

Nick Talarico is a Cinema and Television Arts Student at California State University Northridge, focusing on Cinematography and Editing. He is passionate about every aspect of the industry and loves working with others that share his love for filmmaking. This passion was ultimately sparked when he first viewed the film “Back to the Future” as a child. Nick has since set his sights on being a part of the creative processes of filmmaking.

 

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Video Production Coordinator

Hrag Meguerditchian is a Lebanese-Armenian born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Born into a Theatrical background, Hrag found his love for the performing arts since he was a child, watching plays and growing up in the backstage of theaters across Lebanon. Indulged in Music at first, then finding himself in Cinema and achieving a degree in Film from the Lebanese University – Faculty Of Fine Arts and Architecture. Hrag searches to find inspiration from Human Interaction and the intricacies of Human emotion. Focusing on becoming a Writer/Director, he wishes to make films till the end of his days.

 

Nelli_Harutyunyan_community_liaison

Community Liaison

Vouloir c’est pouvoir – Will is the Power’ is the life principal and motivation for Nelly Harutyunyan who has over 10 years of experience in international business, sustainable development and financial analyses. She is a graduate of Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Auditing, as well as an International Business Affairs MBA. Nelly has worked for Credit Agricole Bank for 7 years as a senior loan analyst and holds licenses in auditing and management. She then worked for global powerhouses LVMH and Pernod Ricard where she further developed her skills in international business management, branding, marketing and social media. Nelly is currently with the French-based international broadcast company Globecast North Americas as a financial reporting analyst, while pursuing real estate.

 

carmen_libaridian

Community Liaison

Carmen Azinian Libaridian was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and came to United States when she was only a few years old. She is very family oriented and adores her four children and her father who just celebrated his 90th birthday. She has been vital in helping spark collaboration between different organization in the Glendale and Los Angeles communities. Her spirit of volunteerism and the effective leadership skills she displays is truly admirable. She serves over 20 different boards including a few that she added last year…. American Armenian museum board, The Ararat charter school board and the American Armenian tournament of roses float. She is now the Community Liaison at Arpa International Film Festival committee.

 

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Theater Manager

James Ananias is a mechanic by trade but has worked at other film festivals for ten years. Once starting as a volunteer and working his way to his current position of theater manager. Though not having any direct involvement in the film industry, he has shown great diligence through the years in performing his duties for the festival’s production. Working with staff, volunteers, and patrons so everyone enjoys the festivities.

 

16 LORENA DILANIAN Festival_creative_manager

Festival Advisor

Lorena Armine Dilanian is a Los Angeles native and first generation Armenian-American. While studying psychology and film at UC Irvine, she grew an interest in art as an effective medium to facilitate healing and provoke change. She has been a volunteer with Arpa Film Festival since 2013 with the intention of supporting independent, international filmmakers and the merging of cultures through storytelling.

 

ALEEN KHACHATOURIAN Festival Director and Filmmaker Liaison

Festival Advisor

Aleen Khachatourian is a Los Angeles based artist who is experienced in film, music, and theatre production. Her work in the music industry has involved creative direction of Endeavor Studios (an independent label), music video direction, artist management and touring. As an innovative strategist, she spends time collaborating on businesses, projects and productions. In addition to taking the stage, she has spent the last decade as the Program Director of DiscoveryOnstage; a youth theatre education company. Leading with a hybrid skill set of logistical acumen and creative passion; she emphasizes expression through the arts. As a writer, Aleen’s arsenal comes stocked with scripts, plays, poetry, and songs. For her, storytelling has been the most integral tool for introspection and understanding the human experience.

 

maria-elena-infantino-advisor

Festival Advisor

Maria Elena Infantino is an International Singer and Actress. She graduated in acting in London at ALRA (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts) in 2010. Her debut was at the Royal Albert hall, singing for the 50th Beatles Anniversary, starring Dame Shirley Bassey. .That same year she was nominated for the 21st annual L.A. Music Awards as best International artist. Subsequently she created her one woman show on legendary Edith Piaf, which premiered in Los Angeles at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre, at the Lee Strasberg Institute, and subsequently at the Grammy Museum. Among the many successes that this show generated for Ms Infantino, was the inauguration on June 12th of the Piaf and Miles Davis USPS forever stamp, at the Rubin Museum in New York. She has been associate producer and actress in various independent films such as “The Admired” starring Jacqueline Murphy, and “Job’s daughter” with Corey Feldman, Eric Roberts and Doris Roberts, “The secret of joy” , ITV Yorkshire UKseries “Emmerdale” and more. Maria Elena is also on the board of charitable causes such as Caterina’s club founded by CNN hero chef Bruno Serato which feeds 5.000 unprivileged kids a day and Ranch hands rescue in Texas, which provides therapy for abused children and animals.

 

Manvel_Saribekyan_Festival_Advisor

Festival Advisor (Armenia Liaison)

Manvel Saribekyan, film producer Republic of Armenia. Founding Director of “Man Pictures” Studio. He is the author and producer of “The Map of Gratitude” and several other film projects produced by Man Pictures Studio. Author of the film idea and Producer of “The Fate and the Art”, “The Map of Salvation” produced by Man Pictures Studio.

 

Festival Program Booklet 2020 Arpa International Film Festival

View & Download our 2020 Festival Booklet in PDF format:

Festival Jury 2020

Born in Uruguay and raised in New Jersey, Gabe Saporta is a musician and entrepreneur. For nearly ten years, he enjoyed multi-platinum success as the singer and creative force behind the band Cobra Starship. In 2016, Saporta and wife Erin Fetherston welcomed their first child. Wanting to spend more time with his family and less time in the spotlight, Saporta transitioned behind the scenes the following year and founded The Artist Group (T∆G), a music management company. In 2018 he launched T∆G MUSIC to provide full label and recording services for his clients. In 2019 T∆G achieved more than 100 million streams with its first independent release, Tessa Violet’s LP “Bad Ideas.” In 2020 Saporta signed a global distribution deal with The Orchard to expand T∆G Music’s radio presence and international reach. Saporta continues to grow T∆G into a full service music company providing a wide range of management and label services for its clients, and, more importantly, guidance and stewardship in-line with the company ethos: “We believe creative expression is the cornerstone of self-realization and we feel privileged to be on that journey with our artists.”

Anthony Grieco is a 2015 Nicholl Award winner for his script Best Sellers. It was recently produced by Cassian and Arielle Elwes and stars Michael Caine and Aubrey Plaza.

Anthony has had several scripts optioned, and eagerly awaits the start of production on his next script, a Buzz Aldrin biopic to be directed by Marc Forster.

In addition, Anthony is a script consultant. He has worked as a Story Specialist for The Writers Store and a mentor for the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest. He is also the co-writer of the screenwriting book The Pocket Screenwriting Guide: 120 Tips for Getting to Fade Out.

Anthony moved to Los Angeles when one of his first spec screenplays was solicited by various agents and managers. Within months, he had optioned his first (co-written) feature, a comedy called I’m With Stupid, to Peachtree Films.

Anthony attended the University of Toronto where he studied English and History. He later attended Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City and went on to act in over 50 television commercials and episodic programs.

In his spare time, Anthony is an amateur photographer (favorite subjects include Los Angeles architecture, his wife’s cooking, and his cats Max and Buddy), film buff, collector of Criterion films, and frequent dinner party attendee.

Born in Armenia and raised in Los Angeles, writer-director-producer Eric Nazarian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production from the University of Southern California’s (USC) School of Cinematic Arts.  He was awarded the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for his original screenplay, Giants. 

The Blue Hour, his first feature film as writer-director, world premiered In-Competition at the 55th San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain and the Torino Film Festival, winning several awards on the international film festival circuit, including Best Director at the Arpa International Film Festival. Formerly a photojournalist, he has made films in Armenia, Mexico and Turkey.

Nazarian wrote the period drama Three Christs with director-producer Jon Avnet, starring Richard Gere, Peter Dinklage, Julianna Margulies and Walton Goggins, based on the book by Milton Rokeach. The film’s World Premiere was at the Toronto International Film Festival. IFC Films released the film in 2020.

Nazarian is an inaugural fellow of the 20th Century Fox Writers Intensive Lab (FWI). A former fellow of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies, he has lectured on world cinema and the origins of silent film at university campuses in the U.S. and Europe.

Karen Kondazian’s career as an actor, author, journalist, and producer, started early in life… At the age of eight, Karen was chosen to be one of the infamous children on Art Linkletter’s famous Kids Say the Darndest Things. The opportunity to miss school during tapings was all it took for Karen to abandon her life’s goal of becoming a CIA spy and focus on acting.

She was born in Boston, completing her education at The University of Vienna and The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, after which she began her acting career in New York. Her first professional work was in the Off-Broadway, award-winning production of Michael Cacoyannis’ The Trojan Women, later winning the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in The Rose Tattoo. Tennessee Williams, after seeing her work, was so impressed that he gave her carte blanche to produce any of his plays in his lifetime. Other award-winning performances include Sweet Bird of Youth (with Ed Harris), Vieux Carre (with Ray Stricklyn), and Maria Callas in Master Class. On television, she has appeared as a series regular lead in CBS’s Shannon, and also guest-starred in over 50 television shows and films including James Dean (with James Franco) and Yes Giorgio (with Luciano Pavarotti) — also playing Kate Holiday in David Wolper’s award running series: Showdown at OK Corral.

She is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio and a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

As an author, Kondazian is a multi-award winning novelist. Her debut novel, The Whip, won the USA News Book Award (Best Historical Fiction), Readers Favorite Award (Best Western Fiction), among other awards. The book was also featured on the cover of Publishers Weekly and is a screenplay.

As a journalist, her long-running weekly column, Sculpting Your Career, appeared in BackStage, and Drama-Logue newspapers. Out of those columns, she created her first non-fiction book: The Actor’s Encyclopedia of Casting Directors.

Karen currently resides in Los Angeles, California, and is working on her third book.

Roman Mitichyan has one of the most diverse backgrounds in the world of sports and the cinematic arena.

Nicknamed “The Emperor “Mitichyan was born in Vanadzor, Armenia. A former UFC Fighter, Mitichyan is the   recipient of USJI, National Championship 1st place Award, and the world bronze medalist in Sambo.

Aside from his multiple martial arts achievements Mitichyan has brought his versatility in numerous films and documentaries portraying characters from all walks of life. His film credits include Argo, War Dogs, Escape Plan, Takers, John Wick, The Promise,  just to name a few, opposite Hollywood giants the likes of Bruce Willis, Keanu Reeves, Sylvester Stallone, Jim Carrey, Pierce Brosnan, and the upcoming ‘Fast 9’ feature  opposite Vin Diesel. His television credits include Scorpion, Bones, Blacklist, Sons Of Anarchy, Homeland Numbers, not to mention his recurring role as Sam Rudo in the popular series “The Morning Show “ opposite Jenifer Anniston and Reese Witherspoon.

Roman credits his successful transition from fighter, to stuntman, to actor, to director and producer to his discipline, hard work ethics, relentless drive, and last but not least appreciation for all the opportunities which continue to push forward his creativity as  a multidimensional actor in the entertainment industry.

Clayton Trussell is a writer and producer best known for his work on the Netflix series, “Narcos” and “Narcos: Mexico.” He was born in Los Angeles, California, and attended the University of Colorado at Boulder. His career first began on set, working on various productions, including the acclaimed HBO series “Luck”, before transitioning to the writers room with the award-winning, teenage drama “Pretty Little Liars.”

In 2019, Clayton was nominated for a WGA award for Best Episodic Drama for his work on “Narcos: Mexico.”

Heather McComb is an American actress and producer with over 90 credits to her name in film and television. Heather made her film debut as the lead Zoe in Francis Ford Coppola’s “New York Stories”. Since then, she’s continued to work with some of today’s most acclaimed directors including David Gordon Green, Bryan Singer, Martha Coolidge and Wayne Wang.

Heather’s feature film credits include Apt Pupil, Silver Skies, Oceans of Pearls, as well as several movies that have screened in competition at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival including: All the Real Girls, God’s Lonely Man, and Steel City. Heather’s also had memorable roles on many notable television shows including: Prison Break, House M.D., all four CSI’s, The Mentalist, Castle, The Rookie and Shameless to name a few – as well as being cast on the critically-acclaimed NBC show The Event, portraying FBI Agent Angela Collier. She is best known for her work on Showtime’s breakout hit Ray Donovan, where she played Patty. Heather also recently appeared in a crossover event for Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 on ABC.

In addition to her television work, Heather recently starred in the films Sweet Home Carolina, Mommy is a Murderer, Pretty Bad Actress, Shooting Star, The Cleaner and Battle Scars which Heather also produced.

Chuck Harter has worked in many aspects of the motion picture and television fields during his decades as a resident of Los Angeles. He conceived, produced and consulted on all aspects of the critically acclaimed documentary “Hey! Hey! We’re The Monkees” which aired on The Disney Channel.

Chuck also consulted on virtually the entire production of the VH1 music documentary “Endless Harmony: Beach Boys” and has participated in many different documentary projects over the years as both a consultant and advisor.

“A great documentary, made by a creative team that puts 100% into it, can educate, entertain and enlighten.”

Justin Humphreys is a writer, film historian, and curator, specializing in movie props, costumes, and other memorabilia. He has worked extensively with Bonhams Auctions and The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, among others.

In 2017, Humphreys cataloged Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet (1957), which sold for $5.3 million and set the World Record for most expensive movie prop to ever sell at auction.

He has published three books and is currently completing his fourth, the authorized biography of filmmaker George Pal. He recently appeared on the Criterion Collection’s BluRay release of The War of the Worlds (1953).

For the past 23 years as the jury liaison of Arpa International Film Festival I have had the distinct pleasure in gathering esteemed industry professionals that includes directors, producers, screenwriters, actors, professors, novelists,and musicians who bring their expertise and talent in recognizing excellence in the craft of filmmaking and music. Our diverse group of jurors in our first ever virtual awards ceremony are committed to see all the films in competition and make their final decision in the categories of feature films, shorts, documentaries, animations, and music. Our awards ceremony will be different this year but for any of our filmmakers a virtual reality experience will reach worldwide film loving audiences ready to experience fresh new voices in the cinematic arena. The Annual Arpa International Film Festival continues to keep its doors open for our independent storytellers and values the generosity of our jury members whose creative input will make sure that these films are seen, studied, and acknowledged.” – Sonia Keshishian, Jury Liaison