SR Socially Relevant Film Festival Features Four Armenian Films

NEW York — The 2nd edition of the SR Socially Relevant Film Festival New York runs from March 16 – 22, 2015 at Tribeca Cinemas, Maysles Cinema and SVA. The festival’s timely and socially engaging selection offers World and U.S. premieres, in addition to a slate of tributes and industry panels.

The four Armenian-themed films selected include Born in Adana, by David Hovan, My Mother’s Voice, by Dr. Kay Mouradian, Cyprus Summer 1974, by Edith Weil, and 24/Havadamk, by Khoren Nazarenko, which will all play on Sunday afternoon, March 22 at Tribeca Cinemas.

Films from over 30 countries including Armenia, Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Haiti, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kurdistan, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Palestine, Patagonia, Peru, Romania, Russia, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tibet, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE and the USA will be screened in 4 venues.

SRSocially Relevant Film Festival New York is a new not-for-profit film festival showcasing socially relevant film content. The films selected raise awareness to social problems and current issues. This year’s lineup includes films that address a wide range of issues including Gun control & police brutality, race relations & discrimination, violence against women & empowering women, LGBT rights, conflict in the Mideast, the environment & climate change, the US economy & oil rush, immigration & exile.

The Festival was inaugurated in March 2014 with a program of 55 films from 18 countries at the Quad Cinema. Nora Armani, Actor/Filmmaker and Founding Artistic Director of SR, created the festival in response to the proliferation of violence and violent forms of storytelling. “I strongly believe that the violence portrayed on our screens and in video games is responsible for the banalization of evil in our societies and the proliferation of violent forms of communication. Most films today encourage misrepresentation, reinforce stereotypes and create an escapist passive attitude in youth and adults towards major social issues. In reverse, simply by focusing more on socially relevant themes, positive social change can be promoted through the powerful medium of cinema.”

The Festival opens with the US premiere of the Turkish/German/French co-production Come to my voice (Were Dengê Min), directed by Hüseyin Karabey, which will screen at CUNY Graduate Center, Proshansky Auditorium on March 16th, and is by invitation through the Festival. The film premiered at the Berlinale in 2014. Sponsored by the German Consulate General in New York in partnership with SR Film Fest and MEMEAC (Middle East Middle East America Center) at CUNY Graduate Center.

The opening party will be held at the newly opened and modern Botequim Brazilian Restaurant near Union Square on Monday, March 16th, sponsored by One Five Hospitality and Fair Vodka. Industry Panels will be held at the School of Visual Arts MFA SocDoc (136 W 21st Street, in Chelsea). The panels will address such issues as: Distribution, Storytelling and Diversity Casting. The closing party and awards ceremony is Sunday, March 22nd, also at Botequim Brazilian Restaurant.

The Festival’s other sponsors and partners include: Unifrance, The French Embassy Cultural Services, Cinema Libre Studio, MFA SocDoc School of Visual Arts, The Left Tilt Fund, Alouette Communications, IndiePix, Film Freeway, Final Draft, InkTip, The Candy Factory, Copenhagen Restaurant, Dailymotion, French Morning, Go Magazine, and a number of Industry and Media partners and supporters (see website for full list).

For tickets and more information visit the web site: http://www.ratedsrfilms.org. Screenings will take place at Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street, Maysles Cinema, 343 Malcolm X Blvd / Lenox Ave (Between 127th and 128th Streets), The Center for Remembering & Sharing (CRS), 123 4th Avenue near Union Square. Industry Panels will take place at SVA MFA SocDoc in Chelsea, 136 W 21st Street, 1st Floor, Chelsea.

Nora Armani is an award-winning actor/filmmaker with International stage and screen credits in many languages. She has curated and organized film events, and guest-curated film festivals internationally and in the US: AFI in Los Angeles and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Under her Paris-based film production company Square Mango Films, she has also organized film events with The Pompidou Center in Paris, ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) London, The British Library, Cine Lumière London, Edinburgh Film Festival, Kerala Film Festival India, Birmingham, Inverness and Cardiff. She has presented papers at conferences such as Central Eurasian Studies Society (CESS) at Harvard University and Harriman Institute at Columbia University, and LSE Media Studies, on Sergei Paradjanov, Cultural Identity in Cinema, and Socially Relevant films and their power is promoting positive social change. She holds a M.Sc. degree in Sociology from The London School of Economics (LSE) and a BA in Sociology and English from AUC.

As feature film producer Armani’s films were screened in the official selections of the Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard), IFF Rotterdam (Competition), Paris, London, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Denver, Oregon, Monaco, Shanghai, and New York. As a filmmaker Nora recently wrote & directed her debut film, ‘Moving Stories’ that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and screened at a number of US, and International Film Festivals.

Nora recently worked as an actor on two feature films: Bourek by Vladan Nikolic, and Good Funk by Adam Kritzer, and two shorts: Hungry by Jillie Simon and Derya by Yonca Talu. Nora is currently based in New York after many years in Los Angeles and Paris. For full bio and filmography visit her websiteor on IMDb.