About Anniko Films
аbout us
Anniko Films was founded in 2009 and is based in two countries – Russia and Armenia. We make fiction and documentary film projects happen. Our studio is a place where independent films are created. Honest films that move viewers, opening their eyes and inspiring powerful emotions.
We study the market, discover new talents and projects, and help others to do the same. First and foremost, we work with directors who are starting out: we help them to find points of support, to get the aid of experienced professionals and provide everything needed for the creation of your first film.
We expand borders, taking our works out onto the international market and showing them to global audiences.
We can also work in co-productions with European countries, providing services and organization for shoots in Russia for foreign companies.
We can also work in co-productions with European countries, providing services and organization for shoots in Russia for foreign companies.
our history
Will you come with us to Armenia?
It was with this phrase that the future producer Victoria Lupik and the novice film director Maria Saakyan – the founders of Anniko Films – began their friendship and collaboration. In 2002, they went off to shoot their first joint project. Seven years later, in 2009, they founded their film studio.
We don't work, we create!
In 2013, our studio shot its first film, «I'm Going to Change My Name». It was a coproduction created by four countries: Armenia, Russia, Germany and Denmark. The film won widespread international recognition.
• Included in the 6 projects at the 2009 Torino Film Lab, Italy.
• Received the «Hayak» Armenian national film prize (2013) in the Best Film and Best Cinematography categories.
• Awarded Best Film Prize in the Armenian Panorama section at the Golden Apricot Festival, Armenia.
• Maria Saakyan, the film's director, was a finalist for the Sundance/NHK Filmmakers Award 2010, and the script was one of the three representing Europe at the Festival.
It was with this phrase that the future producer Victoria Lupik and the novice film director Maria Saakyan – the founders of Anniko Films – began their friendship and collaboration. In 2002, they went off to shoot their first joint project. Seven years later, in 2009, they founded their film studio.
We don't work, we create!
In 2013, our studio shot its first film, «I'm Going to Change My Name». It was a coproduction created by four countries: Armenia, Russia, Germany and Denmark. The film won widespread international recognition.
• Included in the 6 projects at the 2009 Torino Film Lab, Italy.
• Received the «Hayak» Armenian national film prize (2013) in the Best Film and Best Cinematography categories.
• Awarded Best Film Prize in the Armenian Panorama section at the Golden Apricot Festival, Armenia.
• Maria Saakyan, the film's director, was a finalist for the Sundance/NHK Filmmakers Award 2010, and the script was one of the three representing Europe at the Festival.
Dreams and reality
In 2017, another project was completed that was highly rated by the film community – «You Rock». This documentary film was shot together with the Pervoe Kino Documentary House studio.
• It won the Grand Prix at the Dvizhenie National Film Festival in Omsk.
• Nominated in the «Best Documentary Film» category for Russia's main cinematic prizes, the Nika and the Golden Eagle.
• Awarded a special prize at the Window to Europe Festival.
• Special screenings at the Artdocfest, Message to Man and Flaertiana festivals.
Lives lived together…
In 2018, Maria Saakyan passed away. But her films live on, full of light and faith in life. In memory of her, in February of 2019, together with the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the first full retrospective of the director's films was held in Russia. In the summer of 2019, Maria's films were shown in Yerevan as part of the Golden Apricot Festival.
In 2020, at the Lincoln Center's virtual cinema, screenings of Maria Saakyan's film "Lighthouse" were held. At the same time, the film became available to viewers on the MUBI international internet platform.
In 2017, another project was completed that was highly rated by the film community – «You Rock». This documentary film was shot together with the Pervoe Kino Documentary House studio.
• It won the Grand Prix at the Dvizhenie National Film Festival in Omsk.
• Nominated in the «Best Documentary Film» category for Russia's main cinematic prizes, the Nika and the Golden Eagle.
• Awarded a special prize at the Window to Europe Festival.
• Special screenings at the Artdocfest, Message to Man and Flaertiana festivals.
Lives lived together…
In 2018, Maria Saakyan passed away. But her films live on, full of light and faith in life. In memory of her, in February of 2019, together with the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the first full retrospective of the director's films was held in Russia. In the summer of 2019, Maria's films were shown in Yerevan as part of the Golden Apricot Festival.
In 2020, at the Lincoln Center's virtual cinema, screenings of Maria Saakyan's film "Lighthouse" were held. At the same time, the film became available to viewers on the MUBI international internet platform.
Shot from the film «Lighthouse»
In search of the sources of creativity
In 2020, the film studio completed work on a film about the artist Viktor Pivovarov, «The Time of the Sphynx». This was a joint production by Anniko Films and the Czech film studio Hruška a Krys s.r.o. The documentary was directed by Galina Stepanova, and made with the support of the Russian Culture Ministry. In the film, the director heads of in search of the sources of creativity of Viktor Pivovarov, visiting prestigious galleries and museums and collecting the opinions of experts and friends of the artist.
New stories, contexts and formats
The Anniko Films team is continuing to work on the creation of new documentary and feature films.
Today, the company is working on a film by Arina Adzhu, «A Time to Lose and a Time to Find». Arina, who was in the main role in «I'm Going to Change My Name», has become a documentary film director, and in this picture she relates a dramatic story from her own life.
Shooting of «White Road», a feature film to be co-produced with Telesto-Film, is planned for 2021. The plans for this work by director Ella Manzheeva were developed during a residency in Berlin and it has received the support of the Russian Culture Ministry.
Preparations for the shoot of a project preliminarily titled «The Doll» are fully underway. This full-length feature fairytale will be the debut for director Aglaya Kurnosenko and it has already received the support of the Russian Culture Ministry. The shoot for the film is planned for 2023.
In 2020, the film studio completed work on a film about the artist Viktor Pivovarov, «The Time of the Sphynx». This was a joint production by Anniko Films and the Czech film studio Hruška a Krys s.r.o. The documentary was directed by Galina Stepanova, and made with the support of the Russian Culture Ministry. In the film, the director heads of in search of the sources of creativity of Viktor Pivovarov, visiting prestigious galleries and museums and collecting the opinions of experts and friends of the artist.
New stories, contexts and formats
The Anniko Films team is continuing to work on the creation of new documentary and feature films.
Today, the company is working on a film by Arina Adzhu, «A Time to Lose and a Time to Find». Arina, who was in the main role in «I'm Going to Change My Name», has become a documentary film director, and in this picture she relates a dramatic story from her own life.
Shooting of «White Road», a feature film to be co-produced with Telesto-Film, is planned for 2021. The plans for this work by director Ella Manzheeva were developed during a residency in Berlin and it has received the support of the Russian Culture Ministry.
Preparations for the shoot of a project preliminarily titled «The Doll» are fully underway. This full-length feature fairytale will be the debut for director Aglaya Kurnosenko and it has already received the support of the Russian Culture Ministry. The shoot for the film is planned for 2023.
awards and nominations at festivals
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