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When faith comes home: A personal reflection
By Deacon Daron Halajian
His Holiness Aram I leads Tyndale University’s commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea with a keynote address
On Monday, October 20, 2025, Tyndale University, in partnership with the Armenian Prelacy of Canada, hosted a historic event commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. The evening brought together clergy, scholars, students, and faithful from diverse Christian traditions for an ecumenical prayer service, theological reflection, and dialogue on the enduring legacy of the Council and its impact on Christian faith and unity.
The Council of Nicaea, convened in 325 AD by Emperor Constantine, was the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church and a defining moment in the articulation of Christian doctrine. It affirmed the divinity of Christ and produced the original Nicene Creed, establishing a foundation for orthodox Trinitarian theology that continues to unite Christians across centuries. The Armenian Church holds the Council of Nicaea in profound esteem, recognizing it as a cornerstone of the universal faith to which the Armenian Apostolic Church has remained steadfastly committed. Notably, Aristakes, the son of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the first Catholicos and founder of the Armenian Church, was among the 318 bishops who attended the Council, bearing witness to Armenia’s early and active participation in the life and unity of the global Christian Church.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, presided over the commemoration and delivered the keynote address. He was accompanied in procession by Archbishop Papken Tcharian, Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada; Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern United States; His Grace Bishop Boulos of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Mississauga and Western Canada; Bishop Robert Saeed Jarjis of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Mar Addai in Canada; Archimandrite Makarios Wehbi of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy in Canada; and Reverend Father Petre Busuioc of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada. Right Rev. Fr. Keghart Kosbakian, Right. Rev. Fr. Karekin Shekherdemian, Very Rev. Fr. Hagop Yacoubian, Very Rev. Fr. Sarkis Libarian, and Rev. Fr. Nshan Manougian also represented the Cilician Armenian delegation. Pastor Zohrab Sarkissian and Pastor Ara Balkjian were also in attendance, representing the Armenian Evangelical Church.
Representing Tyndale University were President and Vice Chancellor Dr. Marjory Kerr, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Beth Green, Academic Dean of Seminary and Graduate Studies Dr. Michael Krause, Professor of Global Christianity Dr. Wafik Wahba, Associate Professor of Christian History Dr. Ashoor Yousif, and Professor of Theology Dr. James Pedlar. The evening also featured a theological dialogue between His Holiness Aram I and Tyndale faculty, including Dr. Wahba, Dr. Yousif, and Dr. Pedlar. Dr. Pedlar will serve as the professor of record for the upcoming Armenian Apostolic Church History course launching at Tyndale next year.
The evening opened with words from Dr. Michael Krause, who reflected, “In the spirit of the Nicene Creed, our presence here itself is an ecumenical, religious, and spiritual event. Tyndale University considers itself an ecumenical community.” He then invited Dr. Marjory Kerr, who offered a warm and heartfelt welcome on behalf of the university.
It was my personal honor to introduce the keynote speaker, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, who delivered an inspiring address on the theological and historical significance of the Council of Nicaea. His Holiness emphasized the Council’s enduring influence on Christian unity and doctrine, calling the audience to continue the work of reconciliation and shared witness among the churches.
Following the keynote, Dr. Krause moderated a panel discussion as the panelists explored the lasting implications of the Nicene Council’s decisions and their relevance for contemporary theology and the global Church. The dialogue highlighted how the Nicene faith continues to shape the Church’s witness across traditions and generations.
For me, the evening carried a deep personal resonance. My own journey in theology began in the hills of Bikfaya, Lebanon, where I spent the summer of 2017 immersed in the rhythm of prayer, study, and service at the Armenian Theological Seminary of the Holy See of Cilicia. It was there that I first encountered the living tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Church not as an abstract institution, but as a vibrant spiritual home.
In 2018, while discerning where to pursue further studies, I attended an open house at Tyndale University. The atmosphere of ecumenical openness and academic rigor immediately drew me in. Here was a place where faith and intellect intertwined and where I could explore theology not only from an Armenian perspective but also in conversation with the wider Christian world.
In early 2020, I returned to Armenia for eight and a half months of volunteer service, which was a transformative period marked by teaching, outreach, and deep engagement with local communities. When the Artsakh War erupted that September, the experience underscored the urgency of faith as a source of resilience and hope amid suffering.
Returning to Canada, I began my Master of Theological Studies at Tyndale while working at ARS Armenian Private School between 2021 and 2023. Balancing ministry and academics grounded my theological formation in the lived experience of faith within the Armenian community. I carried the ethos of Antelias and the roots of my Church and homeland through each course I took, each paper I wrote.
Now, witnessing His Holiness Aram I’s visit to Tyndale felt like a convergence of these journeys with faith, service, and education woven together. It was as though for a few brief hours, Tyndale transformed into Antelias, and my two worlds converged. His Holiness’ lifelong commitment to ecumenism and Christian education mirrors the very values that define Tyndale’s mission. The visit of His Holiness is not merely an institutional milestone; it feels like a spiritual homecoming: a moment to recognize how the seeds planted in places like Bikfaya, nurtured through study at Tyndale, and tested through service in Armenia, continue to bear fruit. It was a marvelous sight to see the Cilcian Brotherhood with their veghars (cowls) in the very chapel that I had graduated from nearly a year and a half ago.
It was also incredibly touching to be with my former classmate, Zohrab Sarkissian, now the pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church in Toronto, as we processed with the delegation into the chapel and participated together from the altar in the ecumenical prayer service. In that moment, the unity and diversity of the Body of Christ were made beautifully visible. It was a living reflection of the Nicene faith that we came together to celebrate.
At the conclusion of the ecumenical prayer service, the Toronto St. Mary Zareh Aznavorian Choir, led by Anush Galstyan, sang the Nicene Creed in Classical Armenian. It was a profoundly moving spiritual moment to hear the language of my ancestors echo throughout the Tyndale Chapel.
The ensuing ecumenical dialogue fostered a distinguished exchange of
Deacon Daron Halajian introduces keynote speaker, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia (Photo: Ishkhan Ghazarian)
Hallcrown Place, Toronto
KOERNER HALL
Isabel Bayrakdarian: Ancestral Songs, Prayers, and Lullabies
with special guest Kevork Mourad
SAT., NOV. 22, 8PM KOERNER HALL
The Armenian Canadian soprano is accompanied by Kevork Mourad's live drawing to create a unique harmonization of music and art.
TICKETS START AT $65
Generously sponsored by Alexanian Flooring
Generous additional support provided from the Michael and Sonja Koerner Fund for Classical Programming
WELCOME TO THE 18th
EDITION
OF THE POMEGRANATE FILM FESTIVAL TAKING PLACE BETWEEN
November 10th—16th, 2025
With nearly 30 films from 10 countries & over a dozen North American Premieres, Hamazkayin’s Pomegranate Film Festival comes of age as we are thrilled to celebrate our 18th anniversary edition with a record 11 feature length comedies & over 20 filmmakers joining us this year from around the world.
The films scheduled between Monday November 10th up to and including Wednesday November 12th will be presented online only, through our virtual Eventive platform. All films presented between Thursday November 13th and Sunday November 16th will be shown in person at the Hamazkayin Theatre located at the Armenian Youth Centre at 50 Hallcrown Place in Toronto.
We hope that you will support this year’s Festival and spread the word about our community event. Not only is the Pomegranate a healthy fruit, it is also nourishment for the soul & sustenance for the brain.
The 2025 Pomegranate Film Festival Organizing Committee
Virtual Screenings
Monday 10 —— 9:00pm / $10
A SUITCASE HOME
Director Yelena Arshakyan
Armenia/Artsakh — 84 min.
SYMPTOM
Kamee Abrahamian
Armenia/Canada - 23min.
Tuesday 11 —— 9:00pm / $10
ALONE
Director Hakob Melkonyan Armenia/France — 94 min.
LOLA
Tamara Ayrapetyan Russia - 11min.
Wednesday 12 —— 9:00pm / $10
PALMA 2
Director Ruben Dishdishyan Russia — 127 min. — F
THE WOODSMAN
Hrachya Tokmajyan Canada - 11min.
NEW YEAR’S MOVIE
Saturday 15 —— 11:00am /$20*
Director Yelena Arshakyan Armenia — 108 min. — F
From the award winning director of THE VILLAGE and INTERRUPTED FLIGHT, comes this humorous and entertaining film about the holiday season. It notes the importance of New Year’s Eve in Armenian culture and the mischief that comes with spending too much time with family.
Intro by producer Sero Grigoryan
MASTER OF DESTINY
Thursday 13 —— 7:00pm /$20*
Director Grig Vahramyan
Armenia — 105 min. — PG
A hilarious comedy about twin sisters Janet and Anet, who inherit their mystic grandmother’s powers and suddenly swap lives. As they fumble through each other’s worlds with help from guiding visions, they face funny and heartfelt challenges that test fate, family, and self-discovery.
ROSALI
Thursday 13 —— 9:00pm /$20*
Director Davit Babakhanyan
Armenia — 98 min. — PG
Rosali is a unique female robot. To activate the process of “humanization,” Rosali must experience the entire spectrum of emotions from love to hatred.
A young man, drowning in debt and a desperate liar, agrees to take part in this experiment.
THE MARCHING
Friday 14
1:00pm
DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW
Saturday 15 —— 1:00pm /$20*
Director Prince Baghdasaryan USA — 95 min. — PG
A US Marshal gets stuck on Christmas Eve protecting a pregnant fugitive from a bounty hunter and a hitman Santa with his henchmen of elves.
Followed by Q&A with director Prince Baghdasaryan
DIE LIKE A MAN
Saturday 15 —— 3:00pm /$20*
Director Eric Nazarian USA — 119 min. — 14A
On his 16th birthday, Freddy is given a Magnum .44, a few bullets and orders to take out his mentor’s rival, a rehabilitated gangster. Will he succeed or “die like a man” with a gun in his hand?
Followed by Q&A’s with director Eric Nazarian
Symphony
ALBA
Arnaud Khayadjanian
Intro by director Tigran Tovmasian
——
Director Robert Guediguian
France — 103 min. Thibaut, a world-famous discovers he has a younger Jimmy—a school cafeteria and trombone player. differences, music unites
Thibaut helps Jimmy only dreamed of.
Accompanied by 9.1.6
Hrachya Zakaryan -
MARCHING BAND
1:00pm /$10
Guediguian — F world-famous conductor, younger brother, cafeteria worker player. Despite their unites them as Jimmy chase the life he’s
MY SWEET LAND
Friday 14 —— 3:00pm /$10
Producer Sareen Hairabedian
France/Ireland/Jordan/USA — 80 min. — F
My Sweet Land follows 11-year-old Vrej from Artsakh, whose dreamfilled childhood is shattered by war. Returning home after exile, he faces loss and resilience in a powerful story of hope, identity, and the enduring spirit of a nation.
Accompanied by DOON
Sarine Arslanian - Armenia - 7 min.
Intro by director Sarine Arslanian
Followed by Q&A with director Sareen Hairabedian
THE ARMENIAN SPIRIT
Sunday 16 —— 1:00pm /$20*
Director Angela Asatryan
Armenia/Artsakh/USA — 73 min. — PG
On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan launched an offensive against Artsakh, and the film director’s 19-year old cousin, Garnik, was killed on the first day of the attack. Witnessing the atrocities and silence that followed, she made it her mission to uncover the truth, share survivors’ stories, and give a voice to those silenced—so these crimes are neither unseen nor forgotten.
Accompanied by WHATEVER DREAMS
THEY HAD
Stephanie Ayanian - USA - 27 min.
Intro & Q&A with directors
Angela Asatryan & Stephanie Ayanian
STEALING ANGEL
Friday 14 —— 5:00pm /$20*
Director Robert Guediguian
France — 101 min. — PG
An aging caregiver steals small amounts from her elderly clients despite caring for them devotedly and being loved in return, as she struggles financially but refuses to accept her situation.
Accompanied by LONG TIME NO SEE Artur Andonian - Canada - 12 min.
Intro by director Artur Andonian
STAGE
Friday 14 —— 7:00pm /$20*
Director Hovhannes Galstyan
Armenia — 100 min. — PG
STAGE is an emotionally charged tale of passion, sacrifice, and the pursuit of artistic excellence, where personal and professional ambitions collide in a web of love, betrayal, and ultimate determination in the cutthroat world of ballet.
Intro by director Hovhannes Galstyan
THE ARMENIAN JOB
Friday 14 —— 9:00pm /$20
Director Davit Grigoryan
Armenia — 128 min. — PG
A group of lifelong friends tries to leave their criminal past behind, but fate pulls them into one last daring heist in Yerevan. Filled with suspense, humor, and high-paced adventure, the film tests their loyalty, courage, and the true limits of friendship.
Q&A to follow with Members of the Cast & Crew
ONCE UPON A TIME AT SCHOOL 2: THE LAST GUARDIAN
Sunday 16 —— 3:00pm /$20*
Director Harutyun Khalafyan
Armenia — 101 min. — F
School librarian Vachik mysteriously disappears, and in his place, Don Quixote appears in our world. The only witness to all this is twelve-yearold Hayk, who must now uncover the secret of this transportation.
Accompanied by SILVEN FROM TEGHUT
Artak Harutyunyan - Armenia - 14 min.
I WILL REVENGE THIS WORLD WITH LOVE
Sunday 16 —— 5:00pm /$20
Director Zara Jian
Armenia — 110 min. — F
A documentary film about the life, work, triumph and tragedy of the maestro, Sergei Paradjanov, in the memories and discourse of people who have fallen into the trap of the political regimes of our days.
Followed by Q&A with director Zara Jian.
MALL-NAPPED
Sunday 16 —— 7:30pm /$30
Director Gor Kirakosian
Armenia/USA — 116 min. — PG
On New Year’s Eve, a group of thieves preparing to rob a shopping mall encounter an unexpected obstacle: 11-year-old Aram, who has accidentally been left inside.
Intro by director Gor Kirakosian
Accompanied by Jury & Audience Choice Awards & Reception.
Gala Night
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Hamazkayin Theatre Tickets $100 COCKTAILS 7:30pm FILM PRESENTATION 9:00pm
A WINTER’S SONG
Angela AsatrianArmenia/USA - 85min. - F
When aspiring singer Liana is given a three week deadline to create a record demo, she travels to Armenia to find inspiration. Along the way she discovers a world of music, culture and love.
Intro by director Angela Asatrian
Followed by a special performance by the film’s star, Krista Marina
Entertainment all evening by Dj Ajem
Armenia - 13min.
Ontario Works, Subsidized Housing, ODSP, Shingles vaccine, How to renew your Health Card, New additional eligibility for the CDCP, Temporary measures for Lebanese nationals in Canada and federal benefits, How to apply for Long Term Care, Impact of mental health on your health, Pharmacy role, renewing CDCP application, Renewing Driver’s Licence for seniors over 80 years old.
Bayrakdarian set for a Toronto homecoming with ‘Ancestral songs, prayers, and lullabies’ at Koerner
Hall
The acclaimed soprano returns Nov. 22 with a program of sacred music, Komitas works, and Armenian playsongs brought to life with visuals by artist Kevork Mourad.
TORONTOYE—When acclaimed soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian returns to Toronto on Nov. 22 to perform ‘Ancestral songs, prayers, and lullabies’ at Koerner Hall, the evening will carry a significance that goes beyond the standard concert experience. For her, stepping onto that stage in this city connects her earliest musical foundations with the work she continues to shape today as an Armenian artist on the international stage.
Before Bayrakdarian’s voice was heard in opera houses from Salzburg to San Francisco, before she was featured in the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,’ before the JUNO Awards and the academic work, there was Toronto: her conservatory training, her first voice lessons, and her formative experiences within the Armenian community here.
“Toronto is indeed a very special place as my metamorphosis as an artist took place there,” Bayrakdarian told Torontohye. “Whenever I sing in Toronto, and particularly at the Koerner Hall and RCM where I began my first voice lessons back in 1993, I feel an incredible and overflowing sense of love and gratitude.”
She also spent part of her early years in Toronto singing in the choir of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, strengthening her first musical ties within the local Armenian community and grounding her earliest experiences in Armenian liturgical song. That personal history has never faded from her memory. “From the stage, I physically feel the love coming to me from my audience, most of whom have been on my journey since my teenage days, so it feels like the entire city is my family who is rooting for me. In turn, on the wings of the song, I send blessings to everyone in my audience, and their loved ones.”
The upcoming program reflects years of artistic focus on Armenian repertoire, memory, and cultural preservation. ‘Ancestral songs, prayers, and lullabies’ brings together sacred music, works by Komitas, and traditional playsongs and lullabies preserved through his students Parsegh Ganatchian and Mihran Tumajan. Bayrakdarian describes the structure of the evening as deliberate, beginning with sacred Armenian music—the oldest layer of the program—and moving into material rooted in community and family life.
Armenian content at the forefront is not lost on Bayrakdarian, especially when she compares today’s atmosphere to the arts world she entered in the 1990s.
“The world today is very different than when I started out. It is more interconnected, inclusive, and curious. To be able to curate and present a concert of ancestral songs, most of which are obscure material and in Armenian language, was something unfathomable 30 years ago,” she said. “I believe the field is wide open now for artists of any background to present projects that offer a personal perspective and a unique story with an authentic voice.”
A major creative element of the concert will be the on-stage collaboration with Kevork Mourad, the Syrian-Armenian visual artist whose live drawings will unfold in real time. Mourad, who has performed at the Aga Khan Museum, Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble, approaches storytelling through imagery. His presence will anchor the evening's visual dimension.
Bayrakdarian, who also serves as Director of Opera Theatre and Opera Outreach at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has devoted much of her work to audience education through performance. “My goal for this project was always to make it an educational experience for the audience, a chance for them to learn more about Armenian history, our lost music, our endangered languages—Grabar (Classical Armenian) and Western Armenian—and our art. Since we humans learn through our senses, what better way to enhance that learning experience than by engaging our two senses: the ears and the eyes.”
She was drawn to Mourad’s approach long before this collaboration took shape. “He is a brilliant storyteller through his art, and I am thrilled to be working with him. We share the experience of being Armenian Diaspora artists, grandchildren of Genocide survivors, born and raised in the Middle East, and now building our lives and careers in North America. That experience is familiar to Armenians everywhere.”
“The profound sacred music has sustained all Armenians’ faith, identity, and language for two thousand years. I have no doubt that the listener’s DNA will recognize this music and be moved and soothed by it,” she said. The Komitas segment, she added, will speak to Armenians whether their families came through historic Western Armenia, the Middle East, the Republic of Armenia, or anywhere across the diaspora. “These playsongs and lullabies were sung by our grandmothers and grandfathers when they were mischievous children, in faraway lands that no longer exist. All those who perished, and all the children whose voices were silenced prematurely because of their Armenian ethnicity and Christian religion, will come alive again through the songs that sustained them and brought them joy and comfort in their living years.”
For many in the Toronto Armenian community, this music is intergenerational. It has travelled through upheaval, displacement, immigration, resettlement, and now cultural renewal. The fact that it will be presented on a major Canadian stage with
The evening will begin with a 7 p.m. prelude recital by Royal Conservatory students, followed by the main performance at 8 p.m. Bayrakdarian supports the decision to include young musicians in the program, especially on a night grounded in cultural continuity. For her, early opportunities in Toronto opened doors that later led to international stages; seeing young performers start on the same platform feels fitting.
Koerner Hall, which has hosted Bayrakdarian in earlier phases of her career, will again serve as the setting—a hall known for its acoustics, its audience, and its location at the heart of the city’s cultural corridor. For many Armenian Torontonians, it will also offer something specific: the chance to hear treasured repertoire in a major venue, presented by an artist who grew up in their midst and never lost her connection to the community that helped raise her.
Tickets are available through the Royal Conservatory box office for the Nov. 22 performance of ‘Ancestral songs, prayers, and lullabies,’ featuring Isabel Bayrakdarian with live visual art by Kevork Mourad. The prelude recital begins at 7 p.m. and the concert begins at 8 p.m. ֎
Armenia’s winter spirit will come to life on POM’s Gala big screen
'A Winter’s Song' to premiere as the Pomegranate Film Festival’s 2025 Gala film; Toronto’s Sisian Boghossian among film’s producers
TORONTOHYE—When the auditorium lights dim at the Hamazkayin Theatre on the evening of Nov. 15, the Pomegranate Film Festival (POM) will unveil its most anticipated moment of the year. The POM Gala presentation has become a cherished tradition for the Canadian Armenian community, a night when film
Malkhasyan ACG. It is a feel-good holiday romance that seeks to show Armenia in a new light, offering a story that is uplifting without being simplistic, and rooted in culture without being weighed down by exposition.
For Boghossian, who was born in Iran and moved to Toronto at age 12, the project reflects something she long hoped to see on screen. Before entering the world of film, she completed an MBA with a specialization in marketing and organizational behaviour and spent much of her professional life in the consumer electronics industry in product management and marketing roles.
is not only watched but celebrated as a shared cultural experience. This year, the honour belongs to "A Winter's Song," a heartfelt new feature filmed in Armenia. The movie will make its Canadian premiere at POM 2025, marking a milestone for the festival and for one of Toronto’s own, associate producer Sisian Boghossian, who helped bring the project from idea to screen.
Running this year from Nov. 10 to 16, the Pomegranate Film Festival has grown into a signature event on Toronto's Armenian cultural calendar. Established in 2006 by the Klatsor chapter of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, it set out to create a platform where Armenian filmmaking, identity, and global perspectives could meet in one place. Over the years, POM has matured into a festival that draws submissions, directors, actors, and audiences from around the world, while maintaining a close-knit community atmosphere that makes it distinct. The Gala film, in particular, is seen as the festival’s centrepiece, a unifying moment that often reflects where Armenian cinema and storytelling are headed. Choosing "A Winter's Song" for this slot signals a desire to spotlight Armenia, and to do so through a genre that embraces joy, warmth, and inclusivity.
The film follows Liana (Krista Marina), a struggling musician who travels to her father’s homeland to find inspiration before an important career deadline. Surrounded by the music, cuisine, winter landscapes, and layered cultural rhythms of Armenia, she embarks on a journey that reshapes her relationships with family, identity, and love. Directed, written, and produced by Angela Asatrian, the film stars Krista Marina, Edgar Damatian, Jessie Bedrossian, Judah McFadden, Kev Orkian, Lily Vardan, and others, with original music by Arman Aloyan and cinematography by Miko
In 2019, she left her corporate career and volunteered in Armenia through Birthright Armenia and eventually moved to Armenia in 2021 as an iGorts fellow. She was later appointed as Chair of Armenia’s Tourism Committee, where she worked to refine the country’s identity for international audiences. That experience shaped the way she viewed the role of narrative, imagery, and emotion in shaping how the world comes to know Armenia.
Her involvement with "A Winter's Song" began when she met director Angela Asatrian through mutual friends in Armenia. “Angela, known for her documentary work, including The Armenian Spirit, a film about the 2020 Artsakh War, shared her long-standing dream of shooting a feature in Armenia that would showcase the country’s beauty in a modern and engaging way,” Boghossian recalls.
“I wanted to create a film that captures the magic of Armenia, not just through its breathtaking landscapes, but through its warmth, light, and spirit,” Asatrian says. “There's something truly enchanting about Armenia at Christmas: the way the streets glow, the way people come together, the feeling of home that fills the air.” Her hope was that through the film, audiences around the world would fall in love with Armenia the way she had: through its beauty, its people, and its heart.
discussions evolved, Sisian began to see how she could help. She explains that one of the biggest hurdles was funding and that she used her connections in Armenia’s tourism and hospitality world to help secure partnerships as part of a broader collaborative effort.
“Angela and her team, including the executive producers and Strobia Foundation, did an amazing job fundraising and securing the core support for the film. I came in to help open a few additional doors. We met with a few big brands in Armenia to see if we could get support for the film,” she says. Eventually, they had contracts in place with Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan, a few wineries, and ARARAT Brandy Company, among others. "At first, I just wanted to help a friend because I loved and believed in the project. But over time, it became a real commitment. My involvement grew into a more structured role as an associate producer."
The film was shot over twenty days in Armenia, and Boghossian spent nearly every day on set. She describes a hands-on environment where everyone took on multiple roles to keep the project moving. "I helped with everything from location scouting to script adjustments to problem-solving." The production relied on a local crew and took place before Armenia’s new tax rebate law for filmmakers, which has since generated increased interest in the country as a shooting location. In that sense, the film stands at the beginning of a larger cinematic moment, not in response to it.
For Armenian cinema more broadly, this is an important time. New policies, growing technical talent, and a rise in diaspora co-productions have created
momentum. At the same time, audiences around the world have become more open to international stories. In this environment, a warm, seasonal film with universal appeal can become a sort of cultural ambassador, offering viewers a different entry point into the Armenian world.
Boghossian was immediately drawn to the concept. As
The Pomegranate Film Festival gives that mission a meaningful stage. Toronto’s Armenian community has embraced film as a way to see itself reflected,
ընտանիքներու վրանները,
Ճանպազեան, Քէնտիրճեան, Քէօսէեան, Խոշեան, Տէր Գալուստեան, Տէր Անդրէասեան, Շէրպեճեան, Շէմմէսեան եւ երկու հազար չորս
հարիւր հոգիներու մականունները։
օրը դարձեալ
When faith comes home
ideas and underscored the importance of Christian unity and togetherness amidst today’s globalized world. His Holiness and the professors on the panel touched on various theological, socioeconomic, political, and anthropological issues. The elevated discourse was a delight to listen to, and attendees were left wanting to hear more.
Following the event, a period of fellowship took place in the university’s alumni hall. You could feel the energy and enthusiasm that the evening had inspired in the air as colleagues, professors, clergy, and attendees interacted with one another.
It was a truly remarkable evening, one that you could tell filled members of Toronto's Armenian community with great joy and spiritual fulfillment. ֎
19 Armenia’s winter spirit...
challenged, and connected, and POM has played a unique role in that evolution. Its programming blends diaspora voices with filmmakers working in Armenia and beyond, creating a shared cinematic vocabulary that feels both global and local. “For nearly 2 decades, POM has been a proud platform for Armenian filmmaking and we have been lucky to witness the development and growth of Armenian storytelling,” says festival co-chair Araz Hasserjian. “We are honoured to be able to showcase such new and exciting films and hope to do so for generations to come.”
Hosting "A Winter's Song" as the Gala selection underscores that Armenia’s stories can be emotional, commercial, and joyful, not only dramatic or heavy. “It has been clear to us for many years that our audiences crave films that go beyond the ‘typical’ narratives. While we are molded by our past, it is so much more that defines us as Armenians. This year’s POM lineup offers an array of genres, including a record 11 feature comedies. A Winter’s Song is a beautiful, heartfelt story, and it promises to leave the audience smiling as they leave the theatre, feeling rejuvenated in spirit - it was an ideal choice as the 2025 POM Gala presentation.”
Director Angela Asatrian and lead Krista Marina will be in town for the POM Gala. Asatrian will introduce the film and share insights from the production, while Marina will offer a short live musical performance.
Following its Toronto premiere, A Winter's Song will continue to travel quickly. The U.S. red carpet will take place on Nov. 24 at the Warner Bros. Historic Theater in Los Angeles, followed by the Armenia premiere on Dec. 4 at the Moscow Theatre in Yerevan. On Nov. 30, the film will begin streaming worldwide on Amazon Prime through Wonder Project, and discussions are underway for community screenings in other Armenian centres as well as global theatrical releases and streaming platforms.
For Boghossian, there is particular anticipation for the Toronto audience. "I grew up in Toronto. That community shaped me. So having this film premiere at POM, especially as the Gala selection, is very special," she says. "I hope people leave the theatre smiling, and that it brings them a little closer to Armenia during the holiday season."
When the credits roll on gala night, viewers will have experienced a story of music, discovery, and belonging, wrapped in the glow of an Armenian winter. It is fitting that Toronto, with its strong-knit community and its love of arts and culture, will be the first place to welcome A Winter's Song on the big screen in Canada.
For tickets to POM 2025 films, including the Gala presentation, visit pomegranatefilmfestival.com/schedule/. Full schedule is available on page 14. ֎
6. (գոյ.) բնակարանի ուղղահայեաց բաժանում, տան ծածք
7. (գոյ.) Թորոնթոյի հաքիի (hockey) խումբը (թարգմանաբար). թղկիի ________
9. (գոյ./ած.) աջին հակառակը
11. (գոյ.) կրակարան, օճախ
12. (ած.) ողջ, ապրող, շարժուն
17. (գոյ.) լրագիր
20. (ած.) ամպ պարունակող, ամպակալած
21. (նախադրութիւն) ներքեւ Հորիզոնական
խաչ-
բառ
Զուլալին
առանձնատառը
(հայերէն sudoku) խաչբառին պատասխանները
Senior problem
Junior problem
Ping-pong balls are placed in the following sequence: 1 red, 1 blue, 3 red, 3 blue, 5 red, 5 blue, and so on.
The number of red and blue balls in each group increases by two every time a new pair of groups is added.
Question: How many red ping-pong balls are there among the first 100 ping-pong balls?
Armen’s Math Corner
20th anniversary! (answers on pg. 26)
How many degrees does the hour hand of a clock move between 9:20 a.m. and 11:50 a.m. on the same day?
Canadian Armenian Private Garden Section
In Tribute to Armenia, as symbolized by Holy Mt. Ararat, and to the Armenian people who were the first to embrace and adopt Christianity as a State religion in 301, and the first nation to be crucified in 19151923 falling victim to the first genocide of the 20th century. For the glory of a reborn free Armenia world-wide, whose generations of sons and daughters continue to believe in justice world-wide.
Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries
Please Contact our
For Your Personalized Appointment
Contact: Rosa Crognale
Michelle Richards Tel: 416-899-1174
Tel: 416-990-6516
Email: mrichards@arbormemorial.com
Email: rcrogn@mountpleasantgroup.com
Maria Larin Tel: 647-909-1881
Email: mlarin@arbormemorial.com
4164 Sheppard Avenue East Scarborough, Ontario MIS 1T3
