About
Astrig Chandèze-Avakian founded Pazma films in January 2024 in the Normandy region of France after ten years of experience in the field of audiovisual and film production.
French producer of Armenian origin, Astrig Chandèze-Avakian holds a master’s degree in management of cultural and creative activities (Toulouse Business School - France).
Pazma films is dedicated to the production of fictional and documentary films by emerging filmmakers from France and the Mediterranean countries all the way to the Caucasus who seek to offer fresh perspectives on these regions. Astrig Chandèze-Avakian works with Armenian, Cypriot, Egyptian, Lebanese, Russian, and Syrian filmmakers based in Europe or Latin America.
In 2020, Astrig Chandèze-Avakian produced the short documentary STORGETNYA by Hovig Hagopian, which had its world premiere at IDFA. It won 9 prizes and was selected for 71 festivals. Between 2020 and 2024, she produced five films for Aeternam films (France): a short fiction film and four documentaries, currently being broadcast or to be broadcast. Previously, she was production manager at Sister Productions (France) between 2015 and 2020.
She produced THE DEVIL AND THE BICYCLE, a short fiction film by Franco-Egyptian director Sharon Hakim, based on the short novel by Lebanese author Tamara Saade. It was selected for 35 festivals and won 25 awards, including the Student Award at the 2025 Clermont-Ferrand Festival and the Best Arab Short Film Award at El Gouna Film Festival 2025.
Pazma films is a member of the SPI (French union for audiovisual and film production), Unifrance and the Eurodoc network (promotion 2024). Astrig Chandèze-Avakian was part of the Unifrance delegation at the Visions du Réel 2025 festival, showcasing five emerging producers.
She was selected for New Producers Room 2026, a training workshop for emerging producers organized by the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner.
Pazma films received the Emerging Producer Award 2026 (« LABEL Production émergente ») from the Maison du Film, a French organization that supports emerging filmmakers.
DRIFT by Jérémie Danon and Kiddy Smile, first film produced by Pazma, had its world premiere at Locarno 2026 in the Pardi di Domani competition.
