History

The Armenian Film Foundation was established in 1979 as a non-profit, educational and cultural organization dedicated to the documentation and preservation of Armenian heritage in multi-media formats. Its primary aim continues to be to inspire pride in, and world-wide recognition of, the Armenian people and their contributions to society, thereby fostering human dignity and enhancing understanding and goodwill between present and future generations of Armenians and other cultures. The Armenian Film Foundation has been awarded several major grants, including some of the following foundations: the California Endowment of Humanities (received jointly with the Armenian Assembly), Milken Families Foundation, United States Office of Education, Arshag Dickranian Foundation, George Ignatius Foundation, Alex Manoogian Foundation, J. Roderick MacArthur Foundation, and ARCO Foundation.

Dr. J. Michael Hagopian and Carla Garapedian are congratulated by representatives of the US International Film and Video Festival after Germany and the Secret Genocide won the First Place Golden Camera Award in the History category. Hagopian is the founder of the Armenian Film Foundation and Garapedian, whose father Leo Garapedian was a co-founder, served as an advisor to the film.

Over the years, the Foundation has also received financial backing from the southern California community for a variety of activities. These include providing scholarships for film students working on projects of Armenian interest, establishment of an industry-wide networking association to encourage young filmmakers, and two international Armenian film festivals.

As a result, the Foundation has established a multi-media archive that that is to be preserved and digitized to benefit scholars, historians, statesmen, and the media. In addition, the Foundation has produced and distributed numerous award-winning films and videos that depict the cultural heritage of the Armenian people. Two of these films have received awards for excellence: The Forgotten Genocide, narrated by Mike Connors, received two Emmy nominations for production and writing; and Strangers In A Promised Land, narrated by California Governor George Deukmejian, was the winner of the CINE Golden Eagle Award for Excellence. Germany and the Secret Genocide has won numerous awards as well.


Board of Directors