Private Project

AYG [Dawn]

AYG [Dawn] follows teenagers Arman and Nver—childhood friends from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) whose lives were forever changed by war and forced displacement.
As they rebuild their futures in unfamiliar villages across Armenia, their friendship remains a powerful source of strength and connection, despite distance, loss, and uncertainty.

  • Arnold Ghazaryan
    Director
  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Director
  • Maria Matinyan
    Director
  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Writer
  • Maria Matinyan
    Writer
  • Arnold Ghazaryan
    Writer
  • Maria Matinyan
    Producer
  • Arman Musayelyan
    Key Cast
  • Nver Khachatryan
    Key Cast
  • Arnold Ghazaryan
    Director of Photography
  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Director of Photography
  • Maria Matinyan
    Director of Photography
  • Arsen Babajanyan
    Music / Original Score
  • Maria Matinyan
    Sound Design
  • Erna Tovmasyan
    Additional Cinematographer
  • Leno Madoyan
    Additional Sound Operator
  • Arnold Ghazaryan
    Editor
  • Siranush Vardanyan
    Editor
  • Maria Matinyan
    Editor
  • Arnold Ghazaryan
    Color Grading
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Այգ
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    War, Coming of age, Drama, Human Rights, Biography, Displacement, Humanitarian, Migration
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes 22 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 30, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Armenia
  • Country of Filming:
    Armenia
  • Language:
    Armenian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • ONE SHOT International Short Film Festival Yerevan
    Yerevan
    Armenia
    June 1, 2025
    The Best Armenian Cinema Without Borders Award
  • HIFF - HALO International Film Festival
    Saint-Petersburg
    Russian Federation
    January 27, 2026
    Best War Film Award
  • Indie Short Fest: LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 8, 2026
    Best Documentary Short Award Nominee
  • Berlin Indie Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    August 3, 2026
    Official Selection: Best War Theme Film
  • Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival
    Manchester
    United Kingdom
    March 2, 2026
    Official Selection: Short Documentaries
  • Emigration Film Festival
    Meduno
    Italy
    January 24, 2026
    Jury’s Special Mention
Distribution Information
  • G.Urban e.V.
    Distributor
    Country: Germany
    Rights: All Rights
    Country: Armenia
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Arnold Ghazaryan, Siranush Vardanyan, Maria Matinyan

Arnold Ghazaryan is a film director and cinematographer from Artsakh, based in Yerevan, Armenia. He participated in the 2020 Artsakh war. He studied for one year at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinema before continuing his education independently. His short film Bad Dream premiered internationally at the KinoAsyl Film Festival in Munich.
Filmography: "AYG [Dawn]" (2025, Doc), "Hostage Country" (2023/short), "12.12" (2022/short), "Bad Dream" (2021/short).

Siranush Vardanyan is a film director and photographer based in Yerevan, Armenia. She holds a BA in Feature Film Directing from the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinema. Her diploma film Timeless premiered at the ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival.
Filmography: "Timeless" (2025/animated short), "AYG [Dawn]" (2025, Doc), "The Lullaby" (2024/short).

Maria Matinyan is an artist, curator, and art educator from Armenia, based in Munich, Germany.
She studied at AdBK Munich under Prof. M. Wähner, T. Widmann, and J. Rosefeldt and is currently pursuing a Sound Art Master at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. Founder and co-director of G.Urban Platform since 2020.
Filmography: "AYG [Dawn]" (2025, Doc), “Longing for a Peaceful Sleep” (2022/film-performance), "Book of Memory" (2021/short), "Wherever You Go, Come Back Soon" (2020/doc).

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In a world where millions are uprooted, AYG [Dawn] brings a deeply human perspective to conflict, reminding that behind every displacement is a life forever changed. The film highlights resilience and struggles that go beyond the typical challenges of adolescence. Created collaboratively by three filmmakers in close dialogue with the protagonists, we aim to spark empathy, raise awareness, and deepen understanding of the incredible perseverance of those who have been uprooted from their homes and faced the loss of their loved ones.