Amman International Film Festival unveils line-up for its 4th edition

Jordan News –  July 25, 2023

Get ready for an electrifying cinematic extravaganza as the Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film (AIFF) proudly presents its highly anticipated 4th edition, set to enthrall film enthusiasts from August 15 to 22.

Themed “Stories and Beginnings,” this year’s AIFF beckons filmmakers, industry professionals, and cinephiles worldwide to unite in a grand celebration of fresh voices, creativity, and the captivating art of storytelling on the silver screen.

“Stories and Beginnings”“Stories and Beginnings” serves as the theme of this year’s festival, reaffirming AIFF’s dedication to nurturing emerging talents and bringing their narratives to the forefront.

In a statement, Nada Doumani, festival director and co-founder, expressed her excitement for the upcoming edition, affirming, “The AIFF stands as a beacon of creative brilliance, championing the power of fresh voices, the universal language of storytelling that evokes emotions and sparks profound discussions, and the exquisite artistry in Arab debut achievements.”

A meticulously curated programThe meticulously curated program boasts an impressive selection of 56 films, all released in 2022 or 2023, including captivating Arab and international feature-length narratives, documentaries, and mesmerizing short films hailing from 19 countries.

Five world premieresAmong these cinematic gems, 11 will premiere in the Arab region, and five will have their world premieres.

The “Black Iris” award awaits the participating films, competing in four thrilling sections. Esteemed juries will adjudicate the Best Arab Feature Narrative (eight films), Best Arab Feature Documentary (eight films), and Best Arab Short (18 films), while the enthusiastic audience will crown the winning film in the International section (eight films) with the Audience Award. Adding an exciting twist this year, the Arab feature-length documentaries will also vie for the esteemed FIPRESCI prize.

A spotlight on Jordanian filmsMeanwhile, AIFF will proudly showcase the burgeoning talent of Jordan’s film industry, with six exceptional Jordanian short films illuminating the Spotlight on Jordanian Short Films section. This celebration of local talents provides young Jordanian filmmakers with a global platform to share their compelling stories through filmmaking, propelling them towards international acclaim.

Franco-ArabMoreover, the Franco-Arab Rendez-Vous section at AIFF stands as a notable addition to the festival, running for its third consecutive year. This non-competitive section mesmerizes audiences with a handpicked selection of French films and co-productions between France and the Arab World.

Franco-Arab films to be screened, include:

●Omar la Fraise – The King of Algiers, directed by Elias Belkeddar (Algeria, France)

●The Dam, directed by Ali Cherri (Lebanon, France)
●Harka, directed by Lotfy Nathan (Tunisia, France)
●Houria, directed by Mounia Meddour (Algeria, France)
●Under the Fig Trees, directed by Erige Sehiri (Tunisia, France)
●Lawrence d’Arabie, Rêve d’Orient, directed by Clément Gargoullaud (France)
●Nezouh, directed by Soudade Kaadan (Syria, France)

The competing films in the official competition as follows

Opening Film: A Gaza Weekend, directed by Basil Khalil (Palestine)

Arab Feature-Length Narrative Competition: ●Hanging Gardens, directed by Ahmad Yassin Aldaraji (Iraq) 
●The Last Queen, directed by Adila Bendimerad  & Damien Ounouri (Algeria)
●Mother Valley, directed by Carlos Chahine (Lebanon)
●Ashkal, directed by Youssef Chebbi (Tunisia)
●Queens, directed by Yasmine Benkiran (Morocco)
●A Summer in Boujad, directed by Omar Mouldouira (Morocco)
●Alam, directed by Firas Khoury (Palestine)
●Rat Hole, directed by Mohamed El Samman (Egypt)

Arab Feature-Length Documentary Competition:
●Lyd, directed by Rami Younis & Sarah Ema Friedland (Palestine) 
●The Tedious Tour of M, directed by Hend Bakr (Egypt)
●I’m Coming Home, directed by Yassine Redissi (Tunisia)
●Broken Mirrors, directed by Othmane Saadouni (Morocco)
●Anxious in Beirut, directed by Zakaria Jaber (Lebanon)
●Heroic Bodies, directed by Sara Suliman (Sudan)
●Fragments from Heaven, directed by Adnane Baraka (Morocco)
●Baghdad on Fire, directed by Karrar Al-Azzawi (Iraq)

Arab Shorts Competition:●Dinar, directed by Moawea Al Omari (Jordan)
●8.8.88, directed by Ahmad Alsamar (Iraq)
●In the Long Run, directed by Youssef Assabahi (Yemen)
●The Visit, directed by Ali El-Saadi (Jordan) 
●Buzz, directed by Mohamed Fawi (Sudan)
●The Moped and the Goldfinch, directed by Amir Bensaifi (Algeria)
●Abed, directed by Abedalsalam Alhaj (Jordan)
●Trinou, directed by Nejib Kthiri (Tunisia)
●Hibernate, directed by Houssam Hamo (Syria)
●Watermelon Nights, directed by Hasan Sabri (Iraq) 
●So Cool, directed by Marilyne Naaman (Lebanon) 
●Awama, directed by Mourad Kalai (Tunisia)
●My Girl Friend, directed by Kawthar Younis (Egypt)
●Hamza: Chasing the Ghost Chasing Me, directed by Ward Kayyal (Palestine) 
●Microbus, directed by Maggie Kamal (Egypt) 
●Closure, directed by Mooney Abu Samra (Jordan)
●The Sun Sets on Beirut, directed by Daniela Stephan (Lebanon) 
●Road El Kef, directed by Ihsen Kammoun (Tunisia) 

International Section:
●Stampede, directed by Joëlle Desjardins Paquette (Canada)
●To Leslie, directed by Michael Morris (United States of America)
●Aftersun, directed by Charlotte Wells (United Kingdom)
●Daughter of Rage, directed by Laura Baumeister (Nicaragua)
●Snow and the Bear, directed by Selcen Ergun (Turkey)
●Hafreiat, directed by Alex Sardà (Spain)
●A Tale of Shemroon, directed by Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi (Iran)
●Magic Mountain, directed by Mariam Chachia & Nik Voigt (Georgia)

Supported by the Jordan Tourism Board, The Royal Film Commission – Jordan, Abdali Investment and Development, Zain Jordan, and Royal Jordanian, AIFF’s cultural significance resonates beyond borders, transcending the realm of film to inspire and unite creatives and enthusiast

Screenings will take place at Taj Cinemas, the drive-in theatre in Abdali, the open-air theatre at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan and Rainbow Theatre. In order to reach a larger audience in Jordan, some screenings are organized in the governorates.