17th ROLAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH,

ARMENIA FESTIVAL RESULTS

02.08.2021-15.09.2021 (OFFLINE)

03.09.2021-07.09.2021 (ONLINE)

This year, for the first time, the 17^th “Rolan” International Film Festival for Children and Youth was held in a new hybrid format in two stages: the first stage - 02.08.-15.09.2021- in a traditional format (offline, 41 days) and the second stage - 03.09.-07.09.2021- in an online format (5 days), with the support of RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Embassy of France in Armenia, Russian Centre of Science and Culture, Goethe Centre in Yerevan.

The goal of the festival was to continue the decentralization of the festival program and events from Yerevan to RA regions (especially in the border regions) and Artsakh, to create favourable conditions using the festival as a sustainable and reliable platform for children, teenagers and youth with their active involvement and participation aiming to somewhat alleviate moral and psychological condition caused by the war and to contribute to the improvement of the prevailing atmosphere.

The OFFLINE program of the festival was launched and implemented from August 2 in Yerevan, in RA 5 regions - Tavush, Gegharkunik, Lori, Shirak, Syunik - in Ijevan, Dilijan, Gavar, Martuni, Vanadzor, Spitak, Gyumri, Goris, Kapan and Vahagnadzor, Tegh and Shinuhayr villages (Tatev community) (13 cities and communities).

In the frames of the festival, in Yerevan and in the above-mentioned regions of Armenia offline film screenings, premieres, retrospective and special screenings were held in schools, preschools, summer camps, NGOs, as well as master classes, Q&A discussions, meetings in schools maximally involving children and youth from all layers of society (including children from orphanages, low-income families, disabled children, etc.), children from border regions and displaced from Artsakh who took refuge in the regions of RA.

From 03.09.2021 to 07.09.2021 (5 days) a special ONLINE festival program (second stage) was held, in the frames of which the festival best films were screened (25 films from 13 countries).

Out of 200 films received from 43 countries, 73 films from 27 countries were included in the festival program.

The 17th «Rolan» IFF competitive nominations (12) and winners are:

1. “Best Russian Film” nomination (Jury – Russian-Armenian University students). 11 films were presented in the nomination. The winer is “Nestling” short animation (dir. M. Narimanov, Russia)

2. “Best Francophone Film” nomination (Jury - students of French University in Armenia). 9 films were presented in the nomination. The winner of the “Best Francophone Long Film” award is “Mia and the White Lion” feature film (dir. G. de Maistre, France, Germany, South Africa), and the winner of the “Best Francophone Long Film” award is “Migrants” short animation (dir. H.Caby, A. Dupriez, A. Kubiak, L. Lermytte, Z. Devise, France)

3. “Best Visegrad Film” nomination (Jury – students of Spitak Secondary School N8 after A.Shiraktsi). 5 films were presented in the nomination. The winer is “Leaf” short animation (dir. A. Baranova, Czech Republic)

4. “Best Armenian Film” nomination (Jury – students of Yerevan Basic School N8 after V.Mayakovsky). 5 films were presented in the nomination. The winner is “The Legend of the Rainbow” (dir. A. Mikaelyan, G. Babayan, Armenia)

5. “I Have Rights” nomination (Jury – students of American University of Armenia). 9 films were presented in the nomination. The winner is “Glassboy” (dir. S. Rossi, Italy, Austria, Switzerland)

6. “Audience Award” nomination (Jury – children from Gavar orphanage). 6 films were presented in the nomination. The winner is “Artsakh. Three-Voice Struggle” (authors: students of “Ayb” School Film Factory Club, head of the project: A.Zakharyan, Armenia)

7. “Best Animation Film” (long and short) nomination (Jury - students of TUMO Center for creative technologies). 7 films were presented in the nomination “Best Long Animation Film” – the winner is “Trash” (dir. L. Della Grotta, F. Dafano, Italy). 11 films were presented in the nomination “Best Short Animation Film” – the winner is “Shooom’s Odyssey” (dir. J. Bisaro, France, Belgium)

8. “Best Long Feature Film” (long and short) nomination (Jury - students of "Ayb" school). 7 films were presented in the nomination “Best Long Feature Film” – the winner is “Mia and the White Lion” (dir. G. de Maistre, France). 7 films were presented in the nomination “Best Short Feature Film” – the winner is “Mommy’s Calf” (dir. V. Runtsova, Russia)

9. “Grand Prix” is awarded to “Olympicos” long animation (dir. H. Sahakyants, D. Sahakyants, Armenia)

Congratulations to all the winners of the 17th “Rolan” IFF for Children and Youth.

Special program "Armenian Children and Youth Films" was implemented in Yerevan and 5 regions of Armenia, which presented modern Armenian films: “Artsakh. Three-Voice Struggle” film series (dir. students of “Ayb” School Film Factory Club, 2021, premiere), “The Legend of the Rainbow” animated film (dir. A. Mikayelyan, G. Babayan, 2021), “The Drunk Hens” animated film (dir. A.Mikayelyan, 2008), “Lazy Huri” animated film (dir. A. Mikayelyan, 2016) “Where is the Euphrates, Son?” (dir. R. Pashinyan, 2016) feature film dedicated to the memory of V. Stepanyan etc.

In the frames of the festival, 3 premieres were held: "Artsakh. Three-Voice Struggle" film series (authors: students of "Ayb" School Film Factory Club, Armenia, 2021), "Jim Button and the Wild 13" (dir. D. Gansel, Germany, 2021), "The Barkers at the Summer House" (dir. F. Dmitriev, E. Galdobina, 2020).

One of the debut films of the 17th "Rolan" festival was "Artsakh. Three-Voice Struggle”(Armenia, 2021) film series by students of “Ayb” School Film Production Club (head of the project: Arusyak Zakharyan). The film won “Audience Award” of the festival.

This year cooperation between “Rolan” IFF and Embassy of France in Armenia, which has already become traditional, also continued. Since 2017, the "Best Francophone Film" nomination has been included in the competition program of the festival. This year 11 films from Francophone counties were included in the competition and film screenings program (online & offline) in Yerevan and 5 regions of Armenia.

The festival also continued its traditional cooperation with the Russian Center of Science and Culture. In the frames of the 17th "Rolan" IFF, the best Russian films have been screened and still continue to be screened in Yerevan and Gyumri branches of the Russian Center of Science and Culture. The 17 animated and feature films included in the program were screened in Yerevan, 5 regions of Armenia (offline) and online. Screenings will continue in Yerevan, Gyumri and Kapan.

Within the framework of the special joint project of the festival with the support of Goethe Center in Yerevan, German animated and feature films (6) were screened in Yerevan, 5 regions of Armenia (offline) and online.

Special joint project of film screenings “The 17th Rolan International Film Festival for Children and Youth at TUMO” in cooperation with TUMO Center for Creative Technologies will be implemented in October at TUMO branches in Yerevan, Gyumri, Dilijan and Stepanakert.

Тhe number of participants of the festival offline events (the first stage) in Yerevan and RA 5 regions was 6 000.

The reach of the festival online (second stage) events (on the festival Facebook page) was 173 560. From August 2 to September 15, the total reach of the festival online and offline events was 248 000.

We would like to thank all the long-term and new partners of “Rolan” IFF in Yerevan and the regions of Armenia for effective cooperation.

Thus, the official part of the program of the 17th “Rolan” International Film Festival for Children and Youth is closed.

Please, find attached the 17th “Rolan” IFF film screening venues in Yerevan and RA regions.

PS. Taking into account the expected aggravation of COVID-19 in Armenia in autumn and restrictions posed by it, it was decided to change the festival dates from November to August-September to properly implement the festival programs (online / offline).

Press conference - 15.09.2021, at 13:00, "ARMENPRESS" News Agency (Address: Yerevan, Saryan str., 22), https://armenpress.am/arm/

Official website - http://rolanbf.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ROLANIFF,

YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIIlgpra6rrgGI0arZ_G5LQ

RA, Yerevan

Vardanants, pass 8

Tel .: (+374 93) 540 230

President of the Armenian "Rolan Bykov" Foundation and "Rolan" IFF for Children and Youth

Nune Manukyan

Press Secretary - Karine Grigoryan

(tel.: 091 51 04 79, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

17^th ROLAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH, ARMENIA

02.08.2021-15.09.2021 (OFFLINE)

03.09.2021-07.09.2021 (ONLINE)

FESTIVAL FILM SCREENING VENUES

1. YEREVAN

1. “Tumo” Center for Creative Technologies
2. “Ayb” School
3. PanArmenian Media School
4. Youth Creativity Center
5. Russian Center of Science and Culture in Yerevan

2. SHIRAK PROVINCE

Gyumri:

1. “Tumo” Center for Creative Technologies (Gyumri Branch)
2. “Aster” Children Development Center
3. “Smart Club” Educational and Development Center
4. Russian Center of Science and Culture (Gyumri Branch)

3. LORI PROVINCE

1. Vanadzor: “Little Loretsi” Nursery School
2. Spitak: Spitak School N8 after A. Shirakatsi
3. v. Vahagnadzor: “Gugark” Summer Camp

4. GEGHARKUNIK PROVINE

1. Gavar: Gavar Orphanage
2. Martuni: “Martuni Women's Community Council” NGO

5. TAVUSH PROVINCE

1. Ijevan: Tavush Patriarchal Diocese
2. Dilijan: “Tumo” Center for Creative Technologies (Dilijan Branch)

6. SYUNIK PROVINCE

1. Goris: «Partnership & Teaching» NGO (“Barekam” Center)
2. v. Tegh: «Partnership & Teaching» NGO (“Barekam” Center)
3. v Shinuhayr (Tatev Community): «Partnership & Teaching» NGO (“Barekam” Center)
4. Kapan: Russian Center of Science and Culture

7. ARTSAKH

Stepanakert: “Tumo” Center for Creative Technologies (Stepanakert Branch)