A red-carpet opening and an audience-winning comedy join retrospective screenings from the festival’s first decade.

Armenian Film Festival Australia (AFFA) brings its 10th anniversary celebrations to Melbourne from 30th October to 1st November 2026. The Melbourne dates follow screenings in Sydney and Adelaide.

Opening night begins with a red-carpet reception featuring Armenian food and wine. Afterwards, audiences will watch A Winter’s Song. AFFA describes it as the first English-language romantic comedy filmed in Armenia.

Also screening is Precious Boys, a comedy directed by Arsho Harutyunyan. It won the Audience Choice award at AFFA’s Sydney awards ceremony.

Together, the Melbourne selections explore Armenian stories, history and identity through films from Armenia and its diaspora.

Revisiting AFFA’s first film

Alongside the other screenings, the “Best of AFFA” retrospective returns to titles from the festival’s first decade. These include Aram, Aram, the first film AFFA screened.

Co-founders and co-directors Margaret Chater and Hourie Demirjian said the anniversary offered a chance to reflect while looking ahead.

“Ten years ago, we set out to share Armenian stories with Australian audiences. Today, AFFA has become a celebration of cinema, culture and conversation that welcomes people from all backgrounds. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re excited to continue building connections through the power of storytelling,” Chater and Demirjian said.

AFFA’s patrons include The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian and Zareh Nalbandian. Beyond its screenings, the festival aims to create opportunities for cultural exchange and creative collaboration as it enters its second decade.

Event details

Event: Armenian Film Festival Australia’s 10th anniversary
Location: Melbourne
Dates: 30th October to 1st November 2026
Screening times and bookings: View the film line-up and book tickets