Overview
The Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival is Armenia's primary international film event. The 23rd edition runs July 12 to 19, 2026, in Yerevan. The 22nd edition (July 13 to 20, 2025) was held at the House of Cinema in Yerevan, with competition films from around the world including selections from Cannes and Berlin.
The 2025 International Competition jury was headed by Abderrahmane Sissako, the Mauritanian filmmaker and Cannes and Cesar award winner. The Regional Competition jury was headed by Iranian director Amir Naderi, with members including Kira Kovalenko (Un Certain Regard winner at Cannes) and Armenian-American actor Karen Karagulian, known for his collaboration with Sean Baker. The festival's Artistic Director and General Manager is Karen Avetisyan.
The 2025 Golden Apricot (top prize) for International Feature Film went to Fiume o Morte by Igor Bezinovic (Croatia/Italy/Slovenia), a film about the 1920s occupation of Rijeka by Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. The Regional Panorama Golden Apricot went to Take Your Heart and Walk by Sepideh Farsi (France/Palestine), a portrait of life in war-torn Gaza. The FIPRESCI Prize was awarded to Aisha Can't Fly Away Anymore by Morad Mostafa (Egypt/Sudan/Tunisia/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/France/Germany).
For filmmakers: Golden Apricot accepts open submissions via FilmFreeway. The submission fee is $30 USD for the International Competition and Regional Panorama programs. Short film submissions are free. Films must have had their first public screening after July 15, 2025 to be eligible for competitive sections. The deadline for preselection is April 15, 2026, with final selection announced by June 15, 2026.
Submission Details
Submissions are made through FilmFreeway. Entries submitted by post, email, or any form other than online are not eligible.
Eligibility for competitive sections:
- Films must have had their first public screening after July 15, 2025
- All films in competition are screened in their original language with English and Armenian subtitles
- The festival does not accept deliveries on hard drives, USBs, or other physical carriers
Competition categories and fees:
International Competition:
- Feature films of any genre (narrative, documentary, animation, experimental) over 60 minutes
- Submission fee: $30 USD
- Deadline: April 15, 2026
Regional Panorama:
- Feature and documentary films from the Western Asia Region
- Judged by an International Jury and FIPRESCI jury
- Submission fee: $30 USD
- Deadline: April 15, 2026
Apricot Stone Short Films Competition:
- Short films of any genre from Armenia, 5 to 45 minutes
- Submission fee: Free
- Deadline: April 15, 2026
Notification date: June 15, 2026
Upon selection, filmmakers must provide:
- Trailer of the film via non-expiring online link or HD resolution file
- Materials for localization: dialogue lists in English, spotting list, screener, and poster artwork
- Materials must be delivered digitally to goldenapricotiff@gmail.com with the local and English titles in the email subject line
Non-competition sections:
- Yerevan Premieres - best films from around the world invited by the festival
- Retrospectives
- Tributes
- Twisted Apricot
- Special Screenings
Key Sections
- International Competition - feature films over 60 minutes from around the world, competing for the Golden Apricot
- Regional Panorama - feature and documentary films from the Western Asia Region, judged by International Jury and FIPRESCI jury
- Apricot Stone Short Films Competition - short films (5-45 minutes) from Armenia
- Yerevan Premieres - non-competitive, invited best films from world festivals
- Retrospectives - programs dedicated to film history and individual filmmakers
- Tributes - honoree programs (2025: tribute to David Lynch, including screening of Mulholland Drive)
- Twisted Apricot - non-traditional, experimental, or genre programming
- Special Screenings - curated non-competitive selections
What Filmmakers Should Know
For International Filmmakers
The International Competition is open to feature films over 60 minutes from any country. The 2025 winner, Fiume o Morte by Igor Bezinovic, blended archival materials with re-enactments featuring non-professional actors to examine the 1920s occupation of Rijeka. The 2025 Special Mention went to Songs of a Burning Earth by Olha Zhurba (Ukraine/Denmark/Sweden/France), a fragmented portrait of post-invasion Ukraine. The festival programs films from Cannes and Berlin alongside discoveries from the Caucasus and Western Asia, giving international filmmakers exposure to a regional audience that might not otherwise see their work.
For Regional Filmmakers (Western Asia)
The Regional Panorama competition is dedicated to feature and documentary films from the Western Asia Region. The 2025 Golden Apricot in this category went to Take Your Heart and Walk by Sepideh Farsi (France/Palestine), a direct dialogue with a young Gazan photographer documenting life under war. The Silver Apricot went to Tehran: The Unfinished Story by Saeed Nouri (Iran). A FIPRESCI jury also awards a prize in this section. Regional filmmakers benefit from competing in a dedicated section rather than against the full international field.
For Armenian Filmmakers
The Apricot Stone Short Films Competition is dedicated to Armenian short films (5-45 minutes). The 2025 Golden Apricot in this category went to The Homeland (Mayrenik) by Gor Arushanyan (Armenia/Poland), which also received the Gennadi Melkonyan Special Award. The Silver Apricot went to Snake Soup by Zak Demirjian. Armenian filmmakers can also submit to the International Competition and Regional Panorama if their films meet the eligibility criteria.
For Diaspora Filmmakers
The festival has historically programmed films by the Armenian diaspora, and Armenian filmmakers living outside Armenia are encouraged to submit. The 2025 Special Mention in the Apricot Stone category went to The World Is Ours by Areg Azatyan (USA/Armenia), demonstrating the festival's openness to diaspora productions.
Festival Culture
The July timing in Yerevan's warm summer creates an outdoor cinema atmosphere. The 2025 edition featured a Twin Peaks Red Room recreation at the closing reception, honoring David Lynch. The festival has welcomed guests including Alexander Payne, Paul Schrader, Carlos Reygadas, Radu Jude, Claire Denis, and Sean Baker. The Parajanov Thaler Award for Contribution to Cinema has been presented to figures including Abderrahmane Sissako and festival founder Harutyun Khachatryan.
Major Awards
International Feature Film Competition:
- Golden Apricot - Best Film
- Silver Apricot - second prize
- Special Mention
Regional Panorama Competition:
- Golden Apricot - Best Film
- Silver Apricot - second prize
- Special Mention
Apricot Stone Short Films Competition:
- Golden Apricot - Best Short Film
- Silver Apricot - second prize
- Special Mention
- Gennadi Melkonyan Special Award
Additional prizes:
- FIPRESCI Prize - awarded by the international critics jury
- Parajanov Thaler Award - for contribution to cinema (2025: Abderrahmane Sissako and Harutyun Khachatryan)
- Master Award - for career achievement (2025: Athina Rachel Tsangari)
2025 winners (selected):
International Feature Film Competition:
- Golden Apricot: Fiume o Morte - Dir. Igor Bezinovic (Croatia/Italy/Slovenia)
- Silver Apricot: Holy Electricity - Dir. Tato Kotetishvili (Georgia)
- Special Mention: Songs of a Burning Earth - Dir. Olha Zhurba (Ukraine/Denmark/Sweden/France)
Regional Panorama Competition:
- Golden Apricot: Take Your Heart and Walk - Dir. Sepideh Farsi (France/Palestine)
- Silver Apricot: Tehran: The Unfinished Story - Dir. Saeed Nouri (Iran)
- Special Mention: Lions of the Tigris - Dir. Zaradasht Ahmed (Norway/Netherlands)
Apricot Stone Short Films Competition:
- Golden Apricot: The Homeland (Mayrenik) - Dir. Gor Arushanyan (Armenia/Poland)
- Silver Apricot: Snake Soup - Dir. Zak Demirjian (Armenia)
- Special Mention: The World Is Ours - Dir. Areg Azatyan (USA/Armenia)
FIPRESCI Prize:
- Aisha Can't Fly Away Anymore - Dir. Morad Mostafa (Egypt/Sudan/Tunisia/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/France/Germany)
Festival History
The Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival was founded in 2004 by Harutyun Khachatryan, who also served as festival president. In its early years, the festival operated with limited resources and no infrastructure for Armenian subtitles, with early screenings accompanied by live voiceover translation. The festival has since grown into the most respected film event in the South Caucasus.
The festival's name refers to the apricot, Armenia's national fruit and a symbol of Armenian cultural identity. The Golden Apricot Award is Armenia's highest film prize. The festival's programming reflects Armenia's position at the historic crossroads of Persian, Russian, Byzantine, and Ottoman civilizations, with a focus on films addressing cultural exchange, intercultural dialogue, and the meeting of civilizations.
The 22nd edition in 2025 was notable for its rich selection of Cannes-premiered titles and its tribute to David Lynch, who passed away in January 2025. The festival screened Mulholland Drive (2001), featured his image on an official poster, and honored him during the opening ceremony. The closing ceremony took place at the House of Cinema in Yerevan, and the festival officially closed with a screening of The Last Station by Harutyun Khachatryan.
Viva (a telecommunications company) has served as the festival's general partner for 14 consecutive years. The festival has gained additional significance amid the decline of the Moscow International Film Festival, whose FIAPF accreditation was suspended following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, positioning Golden Apricot as an increasingly important venue for cinematic discovery in the post-Soviet space.
Past Winners
2025 Winners (22nd edition, July 13-20, 2025):
International Feature Film Competition:
- Golden Apricot: Fiume o Morte - Dir. Igor Bezinovic (Croatia/Italy/Slovenia). A documentary blending archival materials with re-enactments featuring non-professional actors, examining the 1920s occupation of Rijeka by Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio.
- Silver Apricot: Holy Electricity - Dir. Tato Kotetishvili (Georgia)
- Special Mention: Songs of a Burning Earth - Dir. Olha Zhurba (Ukraine/Denmark/Sweden/France). A fragmented portrait of post-invasion Ukraine.
Regional Panorama Competition:
- Golden Apricot: Take Your Heart and Walk - Dir. Sepideh Farsi (France/Palestine). A portrait of life in war-torn Gaza, built as a direct dialogue with a young Gazan photographer.
- Silver Apricot: Tehran: The Unfinished Story - Dir. Saeed Nouri (Iran)
- Special Mention: Lions of the Tigris - Dir. Zaradasht Ahmed (Norway/Netherlands)
Apricot Stone Short Films Competition:
- Golden Apricot: The Homeland (Mayrenik) - Dir. Gor Arushanyan (Armenia/Poland). Also received the Gennadi Melkonyan Special Award.
- Silver Apricot: Snake Soup - Dir. Zak Demirjian (Armenia)
- Special Mention: The World Is Ours - Dir. Areg Azatyan (USA/Armenia)
FIPRESCI Prize: Aisha Can't Fly Away Anymore - Dir. Morad Mostafa (Egypt/Sudan/Tunisia/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/France/Germany). Also screened at Cannes 2025.
2024 Winners (21st edition, July 7-14, 2024):
International Feature Film Competition:
- Golden Apricot: The Gospel According to Ciretta - Dir. Caroline von der Tann (Italy/Germany). A documentary following a streetwise kid from Naples who organizes a celebration for the Madonna while facing eviction. Jury headed by Alexander Payne.
- Silver Apricot: A Strange Path - Dir. Guto Parente (Brazil)
- Special Mention: Solitude - Dir. Ninna Palmadottir (Iceland). Feature debut, written by Runar Runarsson.
Regional Panorama Competition:
- Golden Apricot: We Are Inside - Dir. Farah Kassem (Lebanon/Qatar/Denmark). A documentary about a daughter returning to Lebanon to live with her aging father, finding connection through poetry.
- Silver Apricot: My Stolen Planet - Dir. Farahnaz Sharifi (Iran)
- Special Mention and FIPRESCI Prize: There Was, There Was Not - Dir. Emily Mkrtichian (USA/Armenia)
Apricot Stone Short Films Competition:
- Golden Apricot: Home - Dir. Hrant Varzhapetyan (Armenia/Russia)
- Silver Apricot: Armat - Dir. Anna Mkrtumyan (Armenia/Portugal/Belgium/Hungary)
Parajanov Thaler Award: Alexander Payne and Jafar Panahi
2023 Winners (20th edition):
International Feature Film Competition:
- Golden Apricot: Black Stone - Dir. Spiros Jacovides (Greece). The jury highlighted its "strong portrait of today's Greece" and "admirable acting."
- Silver Apricot: Drifter - Dir. Simao Cayatte. Described as "an impressive and emotional film with a unique aesthetic and artistic expression."
- Humanitarian Award: I Am Not - Dir. Tomer Heyman. Recognized as "sensitively and courageously staged documentary cinema."
- Special Mention: Kiddo - Dir. Zara Dwinger
Regional Panorama Competition:
- Golden Apricot: Endless Borders - Dir. Abbas Amini. Described as "an absorbing, strongly acted drama of impossible choices under oppression."
- Silver Apricot: Magic Mountain - Dir. Mariam Chachia and Nik Voigt (Georgia/Germany). A "deeply considered, poetic documentary."
- Special Mention: Notes on Displacement
- FIPRESCI Award: My Worst Enemy - Dir. Mehran Tamadon
Notable Alumni
- *Aisha Can't Fly Away Anymore* (2025 FIPRESCI Prize) - Directed by Morad Mostafa. A multi-country co-production (Egypt/Sudan/Tunisia/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/France/Germany) that also screened at Cannes 2025. The film's FIPRESCI recognition at Golden Apricot added to its international festival credentials.
- *We Are Inside* (2024 Regional Golden Apricot) - Directed by Farah Kassem (Lebanon/Qatar/Denmark). Premiered at Visions du Reel 2024 in Nyon, Switzerland, before winning at Golden Apricot. Co-production with Al Jazeera Documentary Channel and Denmark's Good Company Pictures. The 177-minute documentary about a father-daughter relationship in Tripoli, Lebanon, received international distribution through Road2Films.
- *There Was, There Was Not* (2024 FIPRESCI Prize and Special Mention) - Directed by Emily Mkrtichian (USA/Armenia). A 90-minute documentary exploring Armenian identity and displacement. The FIPRESCI jury at Yerevan recognized the film alongside its festival circuit run.
- *My Stolen Planet* (2024 Regional Silver Apricot) - Directed by Farahnaz Sharifi (Iran). An archival documentary that has traveled the international festival circuit, with its Golden Apricot recognition contributing to its profile.
- *Solitude* (2024 International Special Mention) - Directed by Ninna Palmadottir (Iceland). A feature debut written by Runar Runarsson, the acclaimed Icelandic filmmaker. The Golden Apricot recognition helped build the film's early festival momentum.
- The Homeland (Mayrenik) (2025 Apricot Stone Golden Apricot) - Directed by Gor Arushanyan (Armenia/Poland). An Armenia-Poland co-production that also received the Gennadi Melkonyan Special Award, demonstrating the festival's support for Armenian diaspora and co-production projects.
- *Endless Borders* (2023 Regional Golden Apricot) - Directed by Abbas Amini. Described by the jury as "an absorbing, strongly acted drama of impossible choices under oppression." The film's Golden Apricot win contributed to its international festival profile.
Submission Tips
- Short films submit for free. The Apricot Stone Short Films Competition (5 to 45 minutes, Armenian films only) has no submission fee. If you are an Armenian filmmaker with a short, this is the most accessible route. International Competition and Regional Panorama submissions cost $30 USD each.
- Meet the premiere date requirement. Films must have had their first public screening after July 15, 2025 for the 2026 edition. Films that premiered earlier are not eligible for competitive sections. Plan your festival calendar accordingly.
- Submit through FilmFreeway only. Entries submitted by post, email, or any form other than online through FilmFreeway are not eligible. The deadline for preselection is April 15, 2026, with final selection announced by June 15, 2026.
- Prepare English and Armenian subtitles. All films in competition are screened in their original language with English and Armenian subtitles. The festival requires a dialogue list in English, spotting list, screener, and poster artwork upon selection.
- Deliver digitally only. The festival does not accept deliveries on hard drives, USBs, or other physical carriers. All materials must be delivered digitally to goldenapricotiff@gmail.com with the local and English titles in the email subject line.
- Target the right competition. International Competition is for feature films over 60 minutes from any country, in any genre (narrative, documentary, animation, experimental). Regional Panorama is for feature and documentary films from Western Asia. If your film is from the region, Regional Panorama offers a dedicated section with its own jury rather than competing against the full international field.
- Diaspora filmmakers are encouraged. The festival has historically programmed films by the Armenian diaspora. The 2025 Special Mention in the Apricot Stone category went to The World Is Ours by Areg Azatyan (USA/Armenia), demonstrating openness to diaspora productions.
Industry Reputation
Golden Apricot is Armenia's primary international film event and the most respected festival in the South Caucasus. It is not Oscar-qualifying and is not a major acquisitions market. Its industry value comes from three sources: regional positioning, jury caliber, and FIPRESCI recognition.
The festival has positioned itself as an increasingly important venue for cinematic discovery in the post-Soviet space, particularly amid the decline of the Moscow International Film Festival (whose FIAPF accreditation was suspended following Russia's invasion of Ukraine). For filmmakers from the Caucasus and Western Asia, Golden Apricot offers a competitive platform with international jury attention.
The jury caliber is notable. The 2025 International Competition jury was headed by Abderrahmane Sissako (Mauritanian filmmaker, Cannes and Cesar award winner). The Regional Competition jury was headed by Iranian director Amir Naderi, with members including Kira Kovalenko (Un Certain Regard winner at Cannes). The 2024 International Competition jury was headed by Alexander Payne. Past guests include Claire Denis, Sean Baker, Paul Schrader, Carlos Reygadas, Radu Jude, Atom Egoyan, and Jafar Panahi.
The FIPRESCI jury awards prizes in both the International Competition and Regional Panorama sections, adding international critics' recognition to the festival's awards. The Parajanov Thaler Award for Contribution to Cinema has been presented to figures including Abderrahmane Sissako, Jafar Panahi, Alexander Payne, and festival founder Harutyun Khachatryan.
The festival programs films from Cannes and Berlin alongside discoveries from the Caucasus and Western Asia. For international filmmakers, this means exposure to a regional audience that might not otherwise see their work. For regional filmmakers, it means competing in a dedicated section with international jury attention rather than against the full global field.
Viva (a telecommunications company) has served as the festival's general partner for 14 consecutive years as of 2025. The festival's Artistic Director and General Manager is Karen Avetisyan.
Watch
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Coverage of the 23rd Golden Apricot Film Festival opening in Yerevan, featuring red carpet arrivals and interviews with international guests. The video captures the festival's role as a regional cultural crossroads and includes perspectives from attending filmmakers on Armenian cinema and the festival's growing reputation.
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Report on the 22nd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival opening in 2025, covering the red carpet, festival atmosphere, and the programming of Cannes and Berlin-premiered titles alongside regional discoveries. The video includes footage of the Cinema House venue and opening ceremony.
See Also
To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. To estimate your probability of acceptance based on festival tier and film characteristics, use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For Caucasus and regional cinema distribution, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy.
