From screenings to streaming: “A Winter’s Song” and the making of a diasporan film

2026-02-21 - 16:04

A Winter’s Song, the directorial debut of social worker and documentarian Angela Asatrian, premiered to a sold-out audience at the Americana in Glendale on Sept. 4, 2025. In the months since, the film has extended its reach beyond that initial debut — circulating through community screenings and, more recently, streaming globally on Amazon Prime Video via The Wonder Project. Raised in Glendale, California, Asatrian discovered her passion for storytelling behind the camera at an early age. While pursuing her master’s degree in social work, she produced a documentary on human trafficking and investigated cases of child abuse — experiences that grounded her work in human-centered storytelling. She later went on to create several documentaries, including The Armenian Spirit, which chronicled the 44-day Artsakh War. A Winter’s Song marks her first narrative feature film and a notable shift toward fiction. Asatrian relocated from San Diego to Armenia to bring the project to life, with the aim of creating a universally accessible romantic story rooted in Armenian culture. “I wanted to show the world our culture through film,” she told the Weekly. The film follows Lianna, a young woman retracing her father’s footsteps through a journal he left behind, visiting places they had once dreamed of seeing together. Asatrian also developed a companion travel journal highlighting the real locations featured in the film, with the goal of promoting tourism in Armenia. Shot across multiple regions of the country, A Winter’s Song foregrounds Armenia not only as a setting but as a central character. The film incorporates both Eastern and Western Armenian, reflecting the linguistic diversity of Armenian identity today. Off-screen, that sense of connection extended to the cast itself. The four leads — Krista Marina, Jessie, Edgar and Judah — marked the experience with matching Mount Ararat tattoos, with the women’s depicting the mountain from a Western Armenian perspective and the men’s from Eastern Armenia. The cast of “A Winter’s Song,” showing off their Mount Ararat tattoos “This project was divinely guided,” Asatrian said. “I moved to Armenia without funding, but everything fell into place. The chemistry and the support were beyond what I could have imagined. It deepened my faith and showed me the power of community.” Following its premiere, the film appeared at several festivals and special screenings, including events in Los Angeles and across diaspora communities. Its nomination for Best Feature Narrative Film at the ARPA International Film Festival and subsequent screenings contributed to growing visibility within Armenian and independent film circles. A red carpet event at Warner Bros. Studios and additional international screenings further extended its reach. Asatrian has described the film as a response to the heaviness of her earlier work, aiming to create something “lighter, joyful and fun” for both herself and the broader Armenian community. Now streaming on The Wonder Project platform, A Winter’s Song has entered a new phase, defined by accessibility. Its availability on a global platform marks a meaningful step for Armenian-led productions, which have historically faced barriers to wide distribution. In this context, the film’s trajectory — from independently produced project to internationally available feature — reflects a broader shift in how Armenian stories are financed, produced and shared. Click to view slideshow. The film was made possible through the support of a wide network of sponsors and collaborators, including the Strobia Foundation, Trinity Wine, Van Ardi Wine, Ararat Brandy and the Yerevan Wine and Champagne Company, alongside numerous individual contributors. Executive producers Narine Galstian, Karo Kavoukjian and Sylvia Kavoukjian played key roles in bringing the project to completion, while locations across Armenia opened their doors to the production. “If you watch the movie, you’ll see the four things I love — music, food, Armenia and love,” Asatrian explained, pointing to the personal imprint behind the project. With continued community support and audience engagement, she has also expressed interest in developing a sequel. “Everyone put their blood, sweat and tears into this,” she added. “Their passion exudes throughout the film.” In its movement from premiere to platform, A Winter’s Song reflects more than a single film’s journey. It points to an evolving model of Armenian filmmaking, shaped by diasporan initiative, local collaboration and an expanding global audience. All photos are courtesy of Angela Asatrian unless otherwise noted.