About the Director

Jivan Avetisyan is an award-winning film director from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) whose work explores the human cost of war and the search for peace. A Berlinale Talents 2020 alumnus and member of the European Film Academy, he was also featured in a Deutsche Welle documentary for his cinematic dedication to truth and resilience.

Jivan’s professional career began in 1996 at the Stepanakert Dramatic Theatre after V. Papazyan. He later became Main Director at Yerkir Media, one of Armenia’s leading television companies, and went on to create over twenty documentaries, short films, and international award-winning features.

His filmography includes Tevanik (2014), The Last Inhabitant (2016), Gate to Heaven (2019), and Revival (2025) — his fourth and most ambitious feature, integrating innovative AI elements to enhance storytelling. Tevanik and The Last Inhabitant are available on Prime Video, while Gate to Heaven saw its theatrical release with AMC Theatres as part of their Independent Slate and is currently streaming on Prime France.

In 2014, Jivan co-founded the Fish Eye Art Cultural Foundation to foster international collaborations that bring Armenian stories to the world. In 2021, he founded LifeTree Pictures, a sister company dedicated to producing and distributing his films globally. Together, their vision is to create thought-provoking cinema that transcends borders — stories that question, heal, and inspire.

Avetisyan’s upcoming projects include Angels 2020, Black List, The Stateless Diplomat, and Baa’bel, continuing his mission to tell deeply human stories rooted in truth, compassion, and the enduring spirit of his homeland.