Armenian filmmaker Anna Melikian’s “Star” won the best director award at the 25th Open Russian Festival Kinotavr, with the film star Severija Janusauskaite scoring the best actress prize.

The film centers on a girl – a caretaker to an elderly man – who dreams of multiple surgeries to gain a model appearance and start a celebrity career.

Anna Melikian’s work as an Armenian film and TV director/ producer has been recognized with several awards. After her participation at Sundance Film Festival she was listed in the TOP 10 of most perspective film directors by Variety magazine.

Melikian studied at the All-Russian State University of Cinematography film school in Moscow (classes of prof. Sergey Solovyov and Valery Rubinchik), where she was awarded by the university prize of “Saint Anna” for Poste restante (2000).

After the graduation she was granted by GosKino Russian organization, made various documental and TV films. In 2008, Melikian’s Rusalka (2007) was awarded by the Berlin International Film Festival Prize.