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Broadcast Pro
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Amman International Film Festival announces winners of sixth edition
This year's selection spotlighted films that boldly defy convention, where characters live beyond the page and stories emerge from the unpredictability, chaos and raw beauty of real life. The sixth edition of the Amman International Film Festival (Awal Film) wrapped up with an awards ceremony held at the Hussein Cultural Centre in the Jordanian capital. The evening, attended by Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym Ali, the festival's President and co-founder, marked the end of nine days filled with screenings, cross-cultural dialogue and the celebration of bold and unconventional storytelling. This year's theme, A World Unscripted , spotlighted films that challenge cinematic conventions, embracing narratives that unfold with raw authenticity and emotional depth. The festival paid tribute to creativity, vision, and the power of storytelling by recognising outstanding films from across the Arab world and beyond. A special highlight of this edition was the Republic of Ireland's designation as Country of Honour, with a dedicated showcase of Irish cinema. Acclaimed Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan was welcomed as the guest of the 'First & Latest' segment, adding further prestige to the program. Across the nine-day event, 62 films from 23 countries were screened, including 16 world premieres. Filmmaker panels and industry discussions drew diverse audiences from Jordan and abroad, emphasising the festival's growing regional and international presence. The closing night honoured excellence in four categories—Arab Feature-Length Narratives, Documentaries, Shorts and Non-Arab Films. In the Arab Feature Narrative category, Red Path by Lotfi Achour (Tunisia) received the Black Iris Award, while Mahdi Fleifel's To a Land Unknown (Palestine) earned both the Jury Award and Audience Award. Jordanian filmmaker Tamara Owais received special mention for her debut script Simsim, alongside first-time lead actor and actress recognitions for Ali Helali, Azzam Ahmed and Saja Kilani. In the documentary section, the Black Iris Award was jointly awarded to (Y)our Mother by Samira El Mouzghibati (Morocco) and We Are Inside by Farah Kassem (Lebanon). Rand Beiruty's Tell Them About Us (Lebanon) secured the Jury and Audience Awards, while Bassam Mortada's Abu Zaabal 89 (Egypt) received both a Special Mention and the FIPRESCI Award. The Arab Short Film Black Iris went to A Passing Day'by Rasha Shahin (Egypt–Syria) and Your Excellency by Musaed Alqudifi (Kuwait) won the Audience Award. Among non-Arab films, Sarah Friedland's Familiar Touch (USA) won the Black Iris, while the Czech animated film Tales From the Magic Garden took home the Audience Award. The short film The Ant That Crossed My Sketchbook by Chris Akoury was screened during the ceremony, capping off a festival that not only celebrated cinematic artistry but also reaffirmed the power of storytelling to connect people across borders. Organisers extended gratitude to the filmmakers, audiences, and partners who have helped anchor the festival in its cultural context while opening it to the world. Looking ahead, the Amman Film Festival is already preparing for its next edition, aiming to build on its achievements with broader programming and deeper collaborations.
Broadcast Pro
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Amman International Film Festival unveils jury lineup for sixth edition
This year, AIFF has added the Black Iris Award for Best Non-Arab Film to its lineup of honours. The Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film (AIFF) has revealed the distinguished jury members for its sixth edition, set to run from July 2 to 10, 2025, in the Jordanian capital. This year, the festival takes a significant step toward international inclusion by launching the Black Iris Award for Best Non-Arab Film, marking an expansion of its mission to celebrate cinematic excellence across both Arab and global landscapes. Selected for their deep expertise, industry contributions, and diverse cultural backgrounds, the jury members are tasked with evaluating debut works in various categories with fairness and insight. The Arab Feature-Length Narrative Film competition will be judged by Algerian filmmaker Adila Bendimerad, Yemeni director Amr Gamal, Cannes Directors' Fortnight executive Christoph Leparc and veteran Jordanian actor-director Rasheed Malhas. This section focuses on films featuring first-time talents, whether in directing, writing or acting. In the Arab Feature Documentary category, which showcases feature-length nonfiction films by debut directors and editors, the jury comprises Lebanese editor Gladys Joujou, Syrian documentarian Ziad Kalthoum and award-winning British producer-director Mike Lerner. The Arab Short Film competition, open to independent first-time directors of narrative or animated works up to 30 minutes, will be evaluated by Lebanese actress Diamand Abou Abboud, Jordanian director Amjad Al-Rasheed and Indian filmmaker Ajitpal Singh, whose previous work has garnered critical acclaim at the AIFF and beyond. Notably, the festival has restructured the selection process for the Best Non-Arab Film category. Previously decided by audience vote, the winner will now be chosen by a jury composed of members from the AIFF Advisory Board. This new jury includes Lebanese artist Georges Khabbaz, Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, Jordanian actress-producer Saba Mubarak, Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah, Swiss-Iraqi filmmaker Samir and Egyptian-Lebanese documentarian Jihan El-Tahri. The change reinforces the Festival's vision of expanding its critical engagement beyond the Arab world while strengthening the role of its advisory members. Introduced in 2023, the FIPRESCI Prize – awarded by the International Federation of Film Critics – returns to honor excellence in Arab feature-length documentaries. This year's jury includes Iraqi critic Ali Alyasery, Thai scholar Anchalee Chaiworaporn and Austrian journalist Bert Rebhandl, underlining the Festival's commitment to critical perspectives and emerging voices in Arab documentary cinema. In addition to jury awards, the AIFF will continue its tradition of presenting the Audience Award in all four competitive sections. These honours are determined by festivalgoers, highlighting the films that leave the strongest emotional impact on viewers. Running alongside the main festival is the Amman Film Industry Days (AFID), which also appoints a dedicated jury to evaluate film projects in development and post-production. Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha, Burundian filmmaker Joseph Bitamba, Spanish film journalist Eduardo Guillot, Jordanian producer Linda Mutawi and Saudi director Abdulaziz Al-Shlahei will assess entries from emerging Arab talent and provide vital support in both financial and in-kind forms. The juries will play a central role in shaping this year's edition by recognising the creativity, ambition, and originality of the next generation of filmmakers. The full list of films and projects selected for competition is expected to be announced soon.
