HOLLYWOOD — The Arpa International Film Festival, the longest-running independent film festival in Hollywood, is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year, with its first in-person film festival since the 2020 pandemic on November 18 and 19 at Hollywood’s Iconic Ricardo Montalbán Theatre. The festival’s longstanding mission has been to feature films cultivating cultural understanding and global empathy.
This year’s nominated selections that will be shown in theater will continue to explore socially relevant themes such as diaspora, war, genocide, dual identity, exile, and multi-culturalism. The diverse tapestry of inspiring films to be featured worldwide will inspire our local and worldwide community to connect and advance progressive cinematic art.
The festival’s highlight will be the closing night ceremony, free of charge, on November 19, which will have an awards ceremony for the winning filmmakers and Inna Sahakyan, director and producer of Aurora’s Sunrise, recipient of the prestigious Armin T Wegner Humanitarian Award.
This year, the festival will have Q&As after screening four films: “The Motel Room,” “The Echoes of Kef Time,” “The Uncanny” and “Carnivore.” Guests of the festival, up-and-coming filmmakers, and student filmmakers can attend a free-of-charge exclusive panel discussion on November 19 featuring industry professionals, including Roger Kupelian, Michelle Alexandria, Mary Apick, Micky Levy and Ara Soudjian.
Arpa International Film Festival’s virtual event kicked off on October 29 and is streaming over 80 films from 26 countries on Eventive until November 17, free of charge globally.
For tickets and information, www.arpafilmfestival.com.
