Garin Hovannisian is a writer, filmmaker, and illusionist who was born in Los Angeles and lives in Yerevan, Armenia.
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He is the author of the memoir Family of Shadows (HarperCollins, 2010) and the novel Hive (Avalanche, 2025). He has written for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Atlantic.
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Garin’s films include 1915 (2015), which won Armenia’s top film prize; I Am Not Alone (TIFF 2019), an official selection of the European Film Awards, IDA Award nominee, and winner of AFI Fest and DOC NYC; Truth to Power (Tribeca 2020); and Invisible Republic (GAIFF 2022). He produces his films through Avalanche Entertainment, a production company he founded with Alec Mouhibian.
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His latest films City of Cards (2023) and Nowhere (2024) – along with his ongoing series Magic Stories – reflect his new work as a magician, hypnotist, and illusion artist.
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Garin is also the founder of the arts foundation Creative Armenia and the incubator Artbox, through which he discovers, develops, and champions emerging artists.