11 Films in the Official Competition of the Jordan International Film Festival
Amman3 min read
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The eleventh edition of the Jordan International Film Festival kicks off in the capital, Amman, next Sunday, continuing until September 24, under the patronage of Minister of Culture Mustafa Rawashdeh, with Jordanian, Arab, and international cinematic participation.
In its current edition, the festival welcomes a variety of cinematic experiences after 2,099 films from around the world were submitted for participation. These underwent viewing and evaluation by specialized committees, leading to the selection of 8 films to compete in the official competition.
Alongside the official competition films, 6 films produced by the Jordanian Ministry of Culture and 6 films created by Jordanian university students will participate, as part of the festival's focus on supporting local film production and encouraging young talents and energies in the field of filmmaking.
The festival's opening ceremony will be held at 8:00 PM, while film screenings will begin at 7:30 PM. The opening program includes a special screening of a film documenting the festival's journey through its previous editions, produced by the Royal Film Commission of Jordan.
The festival honors artist, director, and film critic Adnan Madanat in its current edition as this year's festival personality, in recognition of his artistic and intellectual career and his contributions to Jordanian and Arab cinema. The opening ceremony includes a screening of a film documenting aspects of his experience and cinematic career.
The festival also celebrates a number of Jordanian artists and directors by honoring artist and director Salah Abu Hanoud, artist Mohammad Al-Abbadi, artist Abdul Karim Al-Qawasmi, and artist and director Ahmed Daibes, in recognition of their contributions to the Jordanian artistic and dramatic movement.
The festival is managed and supervised by a high-level technical committee chaired by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture, Dr. Nidal Al-Ayasrah, with the membership of the head of the Jordanian Artists Association, Dr. Hani Al-Jarrah, Dr. Amer Gharaibeh, Dr. Ahmed Al-Faleh, director Sandra Kawar, and director Ishaq Yassin, while director Mohammad Al-Asha serves as the committee's secretary.
The official competition jury includes Dr. Ali Al-Rubaieat as president, with the membership of Dr. Joseph Shamali, director Khaled Sali, Mr. Marwan Al-Salehi, and producer Dalia Al-Nimr, to evaluate the participating films and select the winning works.
The festival hosts a number of Arab filmmakers and guests, including Dr. Taha Al-Hashimi, Dr. Hikmat Al-Baidhani, director Amer Al-Salamin, and director Hani Al-Mulla, to enhance cinematic communication and cultural exchange between Arab and international experiences.
The opening ceremony includes an artistic segment presented by the Jordanian Artists Association band, featuring a collection of Jordanian songs that celebrate musical heritage and national identity.
Festival activities continue from the day after the opening with screenings of the films participating in the official competition at 7:30 PM, alongside accompanying events and meetings.
Through its program, the festival emphasizes that cinema constitutes a space for dialogue between cultures and a means to preserve human memory and express issues, ideas, and experiences, transcending the boundaries of place and geography.
