ArmInfo. Authority to manage the state-owned shares of the Amo Beknazaryan Hayfilm Film Studio CJSC has been transferred to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports (MECS) of Armenia. The corresponding decision was made on March 26 at a meeting of the Armenian government.
As stated in the explanatory note to the document, since 2015, the Hayfilm Film Studio has been under the jurisdiction of the State Property Management Committee and has been inactive for many years. The active development of the film industry in recent years, as well as trends toward expanding international cooperation, have created new strategic opportunities, making it necessary to transfer authority to manage the state-owned shares of Hayfilm to the MECS for a more targeted and systematic implementation of state policy in the film industry.
According to the adopted decision, the program for the relaunch of the Amo Beknazaryan Hayfilm Studio is planned to be implemented. The concept of the Hayfilm Film Production City will be developed to develop the film industry complex. This concept will also be included in the Preservation of Armenian Cinema Heritage program for 2027-2032.
The Hayfilm Film Production City will include film production, post-production, professional education, and film heritage preservation services, creating expanded opportunities for the development of the film industry and international cooperation, ensuring the competitiveness of film production and cultural management.
It is noted that film production is currently viewed not only as a means of disseminating cultural values but also as an important tool for economic development and national brand building.
It has a multifaceted impact, directly and indirectly contributing to the development of a number of industries, including information technology, tourism, education, construction and territorial development, logistics, services, marketing, and content businesses.
In recent years, thanks to government policy in collaboration with the film community, numerous legislative and systemic reforms have been implemented: seven legislative acts were adopted between 2023 and 2025.
The improvement of legislation in this area continues. According to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, a government resolution dated April 10, 2025, initiated a partial return on investment in the film industry. Ten applications totaling 1.4 billion drams have already been received, six of which (the full-length feature films "Precious Boys," "Try Again," "Opa-Papa," "Spoon of Love," "13 km from the Tunnel," and the animated series "Sevanik") have been approved, and four are under consideration.
At the same time, the number of cultural figures and organizations participating in and receiving awards at prestigious international cultural festivals and awards has increased. In 2025, 11 cultural figures and eight organizations participated. The program's beneficiaries, who participated in 22 prestigious venues and received awards, were awarded a total of 122,980,000 drams. In 2024-2025, 31 films receiving state support participated in 207 international film festivals and won 105 awards (in 2025 alone, 15 Armenian films participated in 58 festivals and won 15 awards).
The Yerevan International Film Festival "Golden Apricot," supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Armenia, was included in the list of 49 film festivals accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).
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