LOS ANGELES, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. Three films are the finalists of the Biennial Lillian & Varnum Paul 2009 Screenwriting Award announced by the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA): Music for Strangers by Eric Nazarian (U.S), Moskvitch, My Love by Levon Minassian (France), and The Bedouin by David Deranian and Anthony Zanontian (U.S). ADAA reported this on June 8. Screenplay submissions were received from across the United States, Europe and Armenia. The films should be based on Armenian themes and be written in English. The three finalist films will be evaluated by an honorary jury including filmmaker Atom Egoyan, Producer and Vice-President of Development at Alcon Entertainment, Steve Wegner, and director Michael Peretzian. The winner, whose name will be announced in Los Angeles on August 28-30, will get $10 000. The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance's mission is to make the Armenian voice heard on the world, which the organization accomplishes by supporting playwrights, screenwriters and producers as far as possible. Besides the Lillian and Varnum Paul Screenwriting Award, ADAA also administers the William Saroyan Prize for Playwriting, the deadline for which is February 15, 2010. For more information please visit the website www.armeniandrama.org.

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