Vibrant Opening for the 4th Edition of the Amman International Film Festival 

Amman, 16 August 2023 –  The atmosphere was one of excitement and anticipation as the Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film (AIFF) kicked off its fourth edition in the Jordanian capital last night August 15 at the Al-Hussein Cultural Center in downtown Amman.

“It’s wonderful to see the Festival grow steadily every year; within a very short period, the AIFF has established itself as a recognised event in the cinema industry,” the AIFF’s President, Princess Rym Ali, told reporters.

She was joined on the Red Carpet by Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, representing King Abdullah II, several members of the Royal family as well as hundreds of guests – Jordanian and international personalities, Arab and international directors, actors, film experts, film critics, Jury members and the Festival’s partners.
The Jordanian Arab rock music band “Octave”, let by Ahmad Silawi, opened the ceremony, which was presented by the Jordanian artist and singer Zain Awad.  

Princess Rym took the stage to announce the official launch of this edition, saying: “We look forward to hearing the new voices that will be telling our stories in the next decades: that is the advantage of having a festival that celebrates first-timers”. She added: “This edition also comes at a time when the world of art and culture is being shaken, all over the planet, by the spread of Artificial Intelligence and the ethical issues it raises.”

The Jury members were officially introduced and the opening film “Gaza Weekend”, a dark comedy directed by Basil Khalil, was screened. The director’s debut was partially shot in Jordan in 2021.  

This year, the AIFF presents an exclusive edition with 56 films from 19 countries – Arab and international narratives, documentaries and shorts – either released in 2022 or 2023, and showcased for the first time in Jordan. The week-long festival is hosting more than 120 film professionals from abroad, joining the growing local filmmaking community. Most screenings are followed by a discussion with the filmmakers and the festival also offers workshops and masterclasses on topics related to cinema, which are open to the public.

With intensive preparations around the clock for months, the festival carefully curated the rich program of films, all Jordanian premières. Jury members will select the winners, who will receive the Black Iris Trophy in addition to cash awards on the 22nd of August. This year, an additional prestigious award has been added: the FIPRESCI Prize – International Film Critics – which will be handed over to the best Arab feature-length documentary. 

In parallel to the screenings, the Amman Film Industry Days (AFID) entails a series of workshops, seminars and talks as well as three pitching platforms for Jordanian and Arab projects in development or post-production.

Tickets can be purchased online through:  https://booking.aiff.jo/festival-films/  and at two selling points: TAJ Cinemas from 2:30 – 10 PM, and the Film Library of The Royal Film Commission – Jordan from 2:30 – 8 PM; at reasonable prices accessible to the public.

The screenings will take place at: Taj Cinemas, The Royal Film Commission, Rainbow Theater and the Drive-in Theater in Abdali; for the full screenings schedule: https://bit.ly/3RDSny6.

The Festival is made possible with the support of long-standing partners: Jordan Tourism Board, The Royal Film Commission – Jordan, Abdali Investment and Development, Zain Jordan, Royal Jordanian, Edgo, Ghiath & Nadia Sukhtian Foundation, Jordan Kuwait Bank, Capital Bank, Greater Amman Municipality, HUE, Al-Markazia – Lexus, TAJ Cinemas.

For inquiries about Arab and International competitions email us at info@aiff.jo.
For inquiries about Arab and International competitions email us at info@aiff.jo.
For questions on the Amman Film Industry Days email us at afid@aiff.jo.