Day: July 9, 2024

Preliminary plans for the Cabayan and Pilavjian schools’ expansion

The Holy Martyrs family of schools (Ferrahian High School, Cabayan Elementary School, and Pilavjian Preschool) continues its unprecedented growth and expansion with its latest acquisition of a 1.7-acre parcel adjacent to the North Hills campus. 

With the blessing and support of Western Prelate Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, as well as the Prelacy’s Executive Council, the Holy Martyrs School Board closed escrow on June 17, on the property abutting the entire western boundary of the existing campus. 

This undertaking comes at a critical point for our schools, with enrollment at an all-time high and with the overwhelming desire of the community-at-large to be part of this dynamic and proudly Armenian academic environment.

The expansion of the North Hills property will facilitate the construction of new preschool and elementary school classrooms, parking lots, athletic fields and other improvements, and will put into greater focus the school’s vision to provide a singular and state-of-the-art home where our children will continue to excel. 

Indeed, this acquisition coincides with the recent issuance of final and approved building permits for a comprehensive remodeling and new construction plan for the North Hills campus. 

The preparatory work for the groundbreaking phase of that ambitious plan has already begun, with grading operations well underway.

This momentous development follows the Encino campus’ recent expansion.  In 2022, the school acquired the adjacent three-acre property on White Oak Avenue, effectively doubling its footprint and providing much-needed classrooms, parking, a second gymnasium and other facilities. 

Today, Ferrahian is proud to have more than 550 students who, like their 675 younger brothers and sisters at the Cabayan and Pilavjian school campus, are afforded the opportunity to thrive academically, athletically and socially in a uniquely nurturing and secure Armenian setting.

The future is bright for the Holy Martyrs family of schools, now entering its 60th year of unparalleled service to our community.  As the first Armenian day school in the United States, we have every intention to continue to lead the way for the next 60 years and beyond. The recent expansion efforts will ensure that this will be the case.

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“Nowhere,” an award-winning and Oscar-qualifying short film from Armenia by Garin Hovannisian, is now available for streaming on YouTube.

Hailed as “the best short film of the year” by The Jerusalem Post and “a twisted fairytale for our time” by LA Weekly, “Nowhere” is a 12-minute black-and-white film set in the city of Nowhere, where shadows dream of a life without their human masters – and finally declare their independence.

The film recently completed a successful festival run, winning “Best of Fest” at the Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival (United States) and “Best Experimental Short” at the Short Encounters International Film Festival (Greece). It was also screened at 11 festivals in total, including the Odense International Film Festival (Denmark), Cinequest Film and VR Festival (United States), and RiverRun International Film Festival (United States).

“On its face, ‘Nowhere’ is a simple fairytale – a love story,” said Garin Hovannisian, the writer, producer, and director of the film. “But hidden under it is something a little darker and more complicated than that: an allegory of freedom – a parable about so many people struggling across the world.”

Watch the critically acclaimed short film online.

“Nowhere” has been written, produced, and directed by Hovannisian, produced by Alec Mouhibian, co-produced and with cinematography by Suren Tadevosyan, ACG. The VFX producer of the film is Vasil Shahbazyan and the associate producer is Anush Ter-Khachatryan. The film features production design by Tigran Asaturov, music by Andranik Berberyan, and costume design by Narine Sahakyan.

Hovannisian is a writer, filmmaker, and illusionist who lives in Yerevan, Armenia. Garin’s films include “1915” (2015), which won Armenia’s top film prize; “I Am Not Alone” (TIFF 2019), an official selection of the European Film Awards, IDA Award nominee, and winner of AFI Fest and DOC NYC; “Truth to Power” (Tribeca 2020); “Invisible Republic” (GAIFF 2022), and “City of Cards” (2023). He produces his films through Avalanche Entertainment, a production company he founded with Alec Mouhibian. He is also the author of “Family of Shadows” and has written for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Atlantic. You can explore more of Hovannisian’s works, including his series of ideas and illusions, Magic Stories, online.

Hovannisian is also the founder of the arts foundation Creative Armenia and the incubator Artbox, through which he discovers, develops, and champions emerging artists.

The post Oscar-Qualifying Short Film from Armenia is Now Streaming appeared first on Asbarez.com.