Arev Film Festival to make summertime debut in historic Lexington

LEXINGTON, Mass. — How do you combine a lifelong love of helping others with a career in film? When writer and filmmaker Sharisse Zeroonian asked herself this question recently, the Arev Film Festival was born.

The festival will showcase short films (under 15 minutes long) created by filmmakers of Armenian origin living and working across the global Armenian communities and the Republic itself. All screenings will take place on Saturday, July 9, 2022, at the Lexington Venue in Lexington, Massachusetts.

“Since I was a child, I’ve always been interested in philanthropic work, so I’ve been looking for a way to serve others while also parlaying my own creative interests into it,” says Zeroonian. “This is a lovely opportunity for artists to show their work and for everyone to come support a worthy cause.”

The cause, in this case, is the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies. TUMO is “a free-of-charge educational program that puts teens in charge of their own learning” per their mission statement. The center – which operates sites in Yerevan, Armenia and throughout the Republic – offers classes in filmmaking, robotics, computer programming, music production, creative writing and more.

After joining forces with Amaras Art Alliance of Watertown, MA, whose mission is to support creative individuals to achieve their goals, Zeroonian decided to organize the Arev Film Festival to raise funds for the TUMO Center in Armenia and to encourage Armenian filmmakers in their pursuit of creative endeavors.

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students and will be available early May online or by calling 617-331-0426. Tickets may also be available at the door if space permits. Information will be updated online on an ongoing basis.

For filmmakers, there are three submission deadlines, each with their respective entry fee:

March 28, 2022 (Early Deadline): $15
April 18, 2022 (Regular Deadline): $20
May 8, 2022 (Late Deadline): $25

Those who wish to submit short films for consideration should contact szeroonian@gmail.com