Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week has announced a lineup of Armenian filmmakers for its Next Step Studio program.
The initiative aims to elevate emerging talent from Armenia by providing professional mentorship and international collaboration. By pairing local directors with established global filmmakers, the program seeks to bridge the gap between regional storytelling and the global cinema market.
The selected participants include Armik Israyelyan, Raffi Movsisyan, Sona Khachatryan, and Naira Sargsyan [1]. These four [1] directors will each be paired with an international filmmaker to develop new projects. This collaborative process is designed to refine their craft and expand their creative reach through shared expertise.
The program will result in the production of four [2] new short films. These works are scheduled for presentation at the 2027 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, providing the directors with a high-profile platform for their debut works.
Next Step Studio operates as a developmental hub within the Critics’ Week section in Cannes, France [1]. The focus on Armenia for this cycle highlights the festival's effort to diversify its geographic representation and support filmmakers from regions that may lack traditional industry infrastructure.
“Four Armenian directors will each be paired with an international filmmaker to develop new projects.”
This program represents a strategic effort by the Cannes Film Festival to institutionalize support for underrepresented cinematic regions. By integrating Armenian talent into a structured mentorship pipeline, the festival is not only producing content but is actively building the professional network and technical capacity of the Armenian film industry for future international competition.
