Amman, 24 July 2023 – The Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film (AIFF) is pleased to announce its exceptional film line-up for its 4th edition, due to take place between 15 and 22 August 2023. The rich and vibrant programme is supplemented by activities dedicated to film professionals in the presence of filmmakers, actors and actresses, international professionals and producers.
The programme features 56 films, all released in 2022 or 2023, including Arab and international feature-length narrative and documentary films, as well as short films from 19 countries. They are all showcased publicly for the first time in Jordan, out of which 11 premiering in the Arab region and five World premieres. The unique selection of films has been carefully chosen from hundreds of submissions, aiming to offer a distinctive cinematic experience to the audience and participants, complemented by engaging discussions with the films’ directors and the Festival’s guests.
Commenting on the film selection, Areeb Zuaiter, Head of Programming of the AIFF, said: “We continue to celebrate the talent of debut creatives in the filmmaking sector. This year’s selection promises a vibrant window that will transport our audience into enchanting realms of fresh imagination, with a captivating blend of diverse narratives and innovative storytelling.”
The participating films compete for the “Black Iris” award, in its four competitive sections, three of which are granted by Juries: Best Arab Feature Narrative (eight films), Best Arab Feature Documentary (eight films) and Best Arab Short (18 films); in addition to the Audience Award, which is accorded to the winning film in the International section (eight films). A worthy addition this year: the Arab feature length documentaries also compete for the FIPRESCI prize.
For the third year in a row, the Festival hosts the Franco-Arab Rendez-Vous, a non-competitive section that includes seven feature films either French or co-produced with France, in addition to four short films winners of two Franco-Arab competitions held in parallel in Jordan and France.
As part of the AIFF’s support to local talent, the Festival is shedding the light on Jordanian cinema by showcasing films, directed by experienced filmmakers, in a specific section “Spotlight on Jordanian Short Films”.
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
