Armenia will become the honorary country of the “Next Step Studio” initiative within the Cannes Film Festival’s “La Semaine de la Critique” (“Critics’ Week”) program in 2027, creating a major opportunity for the international promotion of Armenian cinema and emerging filmmakers.

Under the initiative, four Armenian and four foreign directors will collaborate in Armenia to create four short films that will later be presented in Cannes. Armenian participants will also have the opportunity to present their future feature film projects to representatives of the international film industry, Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport said.

The announcement was made during the Cannes Film Festival, attended by Armenian Deputy Education, Science, Culture and Sport Minister Daniel Danielyan. In his speech, he highlighted the exceptional significance of Critics’ Week in global cinema and in discovering new creative talent.

“Armenia is represented in Cannes with dignity. Following the inclusion of five films by the great Armenian cinema master Artavazd Peleshyan in the Cannes Classics program, this new announcement carries deeply symbolic and even historic significance for us,” Danielyan said.

According to him, Critics’ Week has long become an international laboratory of cinematic vision, and for Armenia, becoming part of the initiative is a great honor. Danielyan also said Armenia seeks to tell stories of resilience, memory, peace, freedom and human identity through the language of contemporary cinema.

“Next Step Studio” is one of the continuing international initiatives of Cannes Critics’ Week, supporting a new generation of filmmakers through creative development, international mentorship and connections with the film industry.

The program plans to select eight directors — four from Armenia and four from different countries. Working in pairs in Armenia, they will produce four short films inspired by Armenian culture, contemporary realities and human stories.

The project is expected to be implemented with the support of Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports in cooperation with the Guild of Armenian Film Directors and Producers and the Armenian Film Foundation.