In 2008, October 16-20, 4th International Film Festival for Children and Youth was held in Yerevan. Many filmmakers from more than 18 countries were invited to the festival.

This year festival program included 51 films from 23 countries.

The 70th Anniversary of Armenian Animation was celebrated in the frames of the festival. A number of interesting events were organized.

Many celebrated animators from different countries came to congratulate their Armenian colleagues on the occasion of 70th Anniversary of Armenian Animation (director, animator, Honored Art Worker of RF, “Oscar” winner Aleksandr Petrov (Russia), director, scriptwriter, animator, Honored Art Worker of The Ukraine David Cherkassky (The Ukraine), Honored Art Worker of RF, director, animator Eduard Nazarov (Russia), animator, scriptwriter, producer Rosalia Stiebra (Latvia), director, animator, Honored Artist of RF Violetta Kolesnikova (Russia), director, animator, scriptwriter Michael Tumelya (Belarus), People’s Artist of RF, director, animator Yury Norshteyn (Russia), Honored Art Worker of RF, member of  “Nika” Film Academy Andrey Khrzhanovskiy (Russia) and others).

An exhibition dedicated to Armenian Animation was organized. For the first time sketches by Armenian animators, made during the 70 years of Armenian animation’s existence, were exhibited. In the exhibition were included works of famous artists such as H. Kodjoyan and V. Podpomogov, who had a significant role in the history of Armenian animation. The presentation of “Magic Carpet” by S. Galstyan was also organized, a book, which presents the history of Armenian animation, its way from the very beginning till nowadays.

The events dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Armenian animation ended with a special ceremony at which the festival guests and participants extended their regards and congratulations to the Armenian animators for their 70 years’ work and achieved success.

The list of the festival premieres was enriched with “The Vanished Empire” by director, scriptwriter and head of “Mosfilm” Cinema Concern Karen Shahnazarov. The screening of the film followed the director’s meeting with Armenian journalists and audience.

Besides the above-mentioned events, master classes, creative meetings, meetings at universities and schools, film screenings and discussions took place as well.

The Yerevan stage of the festival was followed by its second, regional stage. During 40 days the festival was hosted in Dilijan (School No. 2), Alaverdi (Cultural House), Byureghavan (Children Care Boarding Center), Gavar (orphanage), Gyumri (“Hoktember” Cinema and “Trchunyan Tun” orphanage). In the frames of the regional stage festival prize winning films were screened and discussions were organized.