France, Canada and Germany unveil their programs for "Golden Apricot"  Film Festival

ArmInfo. The Yerevan International Film Festival, "Golden Apricot," continues its close collaboration with foreign embassies, cultural institutions, and  international organizations based in Armenia, jointly creating a platform for cultural dialogue and cooperation through cinema.

During a press conference featuring representatives from the  diplomatic missions of France, Canada, and Germany, it was announced  that the festival program would showcase the finest examples of  auteur cinema from these countries. Additionally, the festival will  host visits from renowned directors, actors, cinematographers, and  leading figures from the global film industry.

The French Program- The French program will open with the Yerevan  premiere of Antonin Baudry's film, De Gaulle's Battle. The program  also includes Tamara Stepanyan's Arto's Country, the iconic Jean-  Pierre Jeunet masterpiece Amelie, and Arthur Harari's Onoda: 10,000  Nights in the Jungle (The Unknown), among others.

A number of distinguished guests will arrive in Yerevan for the  French program, including special guest actor Simon Abkarian. The  festival will also feature director Antonin Baudry, filmmaker Tamara  Stepanyan, world-renowned cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel who will  conduct a masterclass as part of the GAIFF Pro professional  platform as well as regional jury member Dominique Welinski and  director Emile Parsegian.

The Canadian Program- Through cooperation with the Embassy of Canada,  several significant works of contemporary Canadian cinema will be  presented in various competitive sections. Hubert Caron-Houle's  Mechanics of the Border has been selected for the international  competition, while Sanaz Sohrabi's The Unfinished Calendar, Marlene  Edoyan's There Is a Fire, and Gilda Pourjabar's Poisoned by the West  will compete in the regional category.

The German Program- The German program, prepared in collaboration  with the Goethe-Institut in Armenia, will open with a screening of  Valeska Grisebach's Western (Thirst for Adventure). Joshi Bongard's  Child Star will be featured in the International Feature Film  Competition, while the "Yerevan Premieres" program will showcase  Pawel Pawlikowski's Mother Joan of the Angels (Homeland) and Abolfazl  Safari's Deer on the Highway, among others.

Germany will also send a delegation of influential film industry  representatives. The jury will include Mark Persson, former Head of  Programming at the Berlin International Film Festival. Shermin  Langhoff, Artistic Director of the Maxim Gorki Theatre in Berlin who  has made significant contributions to the promotion of Armenian art  in Germany will also visit Yerevan. Additional festival guests  include directors Jens Geiger, Norik Keshishian, and Tobias Nolens,  as well as Nadja Tennstedt, Head of DOK Industry at the DOK Leipzig  International Documentary Film Festival.

"For many years, the 'Golden Apricot' International Film Festival has  remained an important venue for cultural diplomacy, strengthening  Armenia's ties with the world's leading centers of cinematic art.  This year's joint programs with France, Canada, and Germany once  again underscore the festival's international prestige and its role  in fostering creative dialogue and forming new partnerships within  the global film community," the source noted.