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The Amman International Film Festival, Awal Film (AIFF) announced the selected projects for the pitching platforms of the Amman Film Industry Days (AFID). This year’s selections highlight the diversity and creativity of Arab filmmakers, providing invaluable growth and collaboration opportunities.
The Amman Film Industry Days (AFID) received around 100 submissions this year from filmmakers across the Arab region. Submissions were categorized into Development (open to all Arab filmmakers), Post-Production (open to all Arab filmmakers), and Development – Awal Film (specifically targeting Jordanians and Arabs residing in Jordan, working on their first feature-length project). After a thorough review by industry experts, 16 outstanding projects were chosen from eight different Arab countries.
“Every year, the quality of the submitted projects improves, making the selection process increasingly difficult, especially with such diverse voices and backgrounds. We wish we could select more projects; but like in all festivals, only a limited number can be accommodated,” said Bassam Alasad, Head of Industry at the AIFF. “The selection process depends on several factors, mainly the evaluation of the originality and creativity of the idea, as well as the diversity in topics and their impact. This year, for the first time, the largest share went to documentary films due to the exceptional quality of the submissions received. The jury will select the winners on July 9, and we are proud to offer even more awards than in previous editions.”
Selected Projects:
Development (Arab projects):
- A House For Expats (Narrative – Egypt), directed by Naji Ismail and produced by Omar Manjouneh.
- Al-Madeeneh (Narrative – Yemen), directed by Yousef Assabahi and produced by Ala’a Amer.
- American Dream (Documentary – Egypt/Saudi Arabia), directed by Amir El-Shenawy and produced by Ahmed Abdelsalam.
- Dwellers of the Cabins (Documentary – Egypt/Qatar), directed by Hind Bakr and produced by Tamer Nady, Hind Bakr.
- Let’s Wait and See (Narrative – Palestine/Denmark/UK), directed by Mahdi Fleifel and produced by Geoff Arbourne.
- My Mother & I (Documentary – Iraq/Egypt/Qatar), directed by Dilpak Majeed and produced by Marwa Tammam.
- Yumna (Narrative – Jordan), directed by Yahya Alabdallah and produced by Huda Al-Kadhimi & Muna Al-Kadhimi.
Post-Production (Arab projects):
- 50 Meters (Documentary – Egypt), directed by Yomna Khattab and produced by Ahmed Amer, Patricia Drati.
- Donkey Boys (Documentary – Palestine), directed by Ahmad Al Bazz and produced by Ameen Nayfeh.
- Seeking Haven For Mr. Rambo (Narrative – Egypt/Saudi Arabia), directed by Khaled Mansour and produced by Rasha Hosny, Mohamed Hefzy.
- Son of the Streets (Documentary – Palestine/Poland/Qatar), directed by Mohammed Almughanni and produced by Glib Lukianets.
- The Nablus Runner (Documentary – Algeria/France/Italy), directed by Haïcha Ladrouz and produced by Rachid Bouchareb.
Development – Awal Film (First-Timers in Jordan):
- Amal (Documentary), directed by Khaled Sweidan and produced by Rahmeh Al-Shammas.
- In Between Woes (Documentary), directed by Leen Ghassan and produced by Lina Khaled.
- Searching for Fareed (Documentary), directed by Yazan Taiseer and produced by Noor Arafeh.
- Scent of The Dead (Narrative), directed by Mohammad Khabour and produced by Hadeel Lawi.
A jury of five cinema professionals from Jordan and beyond will select the winning projects and grant valuable cash and in-kind awards following a pitching session.
