Armenian Film Foundation

Now through August 9th, visit an art exhibit of artists from Armenian descent at Forrest Lawn, Glendale

Happy Armenian Heritage and History Month LA! LA County is home to the largest populationof Armenians outside of Armenia. Armenian Film Foundation encourages you to celebrate the richness of Armenian culture and its positive impact on life in County of Los Angeles.
Learn more at https://lacountylibrary.org/armenian-history-month/

Armenian Film Foundation salutes Paul R. Ignatius who passed away on November 6, 2025, at the age of 104.
We remain grateful for his vision and support of the Armenian Film Foundation, among many other cultural organizations.
Mr Ignatius was a former U.S. Secretary of Navy & U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, a distinguished public servant, highly decorated Navy veteran, and cherished member of the Armenian American community. Our heartfelt condolences go to the Ignatius family. His enduring legacy will continue to guide and inspire generations to come.

Paul Ignatius was born in Glendale, California, on November 11, 1920. His maternal grandfather, Avedis Jamgochian, a native of Agn (Egin) in the Kharpert region and an early graduate of Euphrates (Yeprad) College in Kharpert, settled in Glendale in 1911, and was thus one of the first Armenians to live there. His parents, Hovsep Ignatius, also from Kharpert, and Elisa Jamgochian, married in 1919.

Ignatius was a 1938 graduate of Hoover High School in Glendale, then attended and graduated from the University of Southern California. During World War II he served as a naval officer. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier Manila Bay and was on the carrier when it was attacked in the Philippines by Japanese air and naval forces as part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. After the war, he earned an MBA from Harvard University.

During his school years, he served as high school class president, acted in plays, and through his parents’ friendship with famed director Rouben Mamoulian, made appearances in the films Becky Sharp (1935) and High, Wide and Handsome (1937). Ignatius also worked for a summer at Warner Brothers after graduating from high school and later worked for film producer Louis de Rochemont, contributing to the 1951 film The Whistle at Eaton Falls. However, Ignatius’s life’s work would lie elsewhere; as he wrote, “As time went on, I became interested in national affairs and the opportunity for public service, and my life developed along those lines.”
In the 1950s, Paul Ignatius founded Harbridge House, Inc., a management consulting and research firm based in Boston. In the 1960s, he would go on to serve for eight years in the presidential administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, first as an Assistant Secretary of the Army, then as Under Secretary of the Army and Assistant Secretary of Defense, and finally from 1967-69 as Secretary of the Navy. Following his government service, he was president of the Washington Post for two years and president of the Air Transport Association for fifteen years.

Paul Ignatius was predeceased by his wife Nancy (1925-2019). He is survived by his children, David, international affairs columnist for The Washington Post; Amy, New Hampshire superior court judge; Sarah, former Executive Director of the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research; and Adi, an editor at large of the Harvard Business Review; and by nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

He will be remembered by all who ever had the honor to meet him or to be inspired by his exemplary life. As Shakespeare wrote: “His life was gentle; and the elements so mixed in him, that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, this was a man!”

New Alkans Tour offers a travel package Kayseri to Marin (Turkey) for October 22-31, 2025. Contact details are on the flyer

Check out the trailer for ARMENIA, MY HOME, a new documentary premiering on PBS watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/Lymhf74cBZg?si=LVcgtxIFHh1d7d3v

https://www.pbs.org/show/armenia-my-home/ Celebrating the modern-day, independent Armenian Republic and its people. From filmmaker Andrew Goldberg, the documentary promises viewers a breathtaking exploration of Armenia’s rich cultural tapestry, featuring stunning cinematography, striking archival photographs https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3sifYjKz_P/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Check out the trailer for ARMENIA, MY HOME, a new documentary premiering today on @pbs that celebrates the modern-day, independent Armenian Republic and its people. From filmmaker Andrew Goldberg, the documentary promises viewers a breathtaking exploration of Armenia’s rich cultural tapestry, featuring stunning cinematography, striking archival photographs, incredible interviews, and vibrant music. Don’t miss the premiere on US @pbs stations, check your local listings! #ArmeniaMyHome

Today, April 24, is 110-th anniversary of the 1st Genocide of the 20th century. Armenian Film Foundation honors the personal histories of all Genocide survivors, including Aurora's unique Armenian history, told in the film "Aurora's Sunrise."

'Aurora's Sunrise' brings story of Armenian Genocide survivor to the big screen This month, KTLA celebrates our local Armenian community and the contributions they are making to the culture of Southern California. Reporter Ellina Abovian...

DW produces excellent documentaries - this one on Armenia

Armenia's struggle for land and identity in the Caucasus | DW Documentary Armenia, a former Soviet republic, is located in the South Caucasus. Since the early 20th century, the mountainous country has been the scene of geopolitical...

Thank you Shoah Foundation for sharing this eye-witness historical accounts with the world