Amman, Aug. 4 (Petra) -- The Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film concluded its seventh edition Monday evening with a grand closing ceremony held at the Amman Citadel, in the presence of Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym Ali, president and co-founder of the festival, and several government officials.
Over nine days, the festival welcomed filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences from the Arab world and beyond, celebrating cinema, dialogue, and cultural exchange. The seventh edition achieved a record-breaking audience turnout, attracting the highest attendance since the festival's inception.
Held under the theme "Beyond the Frame," this year's festival celebrated cinema that transcends the screen, inviting audiences to explore the stories, ideas, and human experiences that continue long after the credits roll. Nada Doumani, director of the AIFF, said in her closing remarks: "We want a cinema that dares to make bold choices, one that moves forward, stumbles, and tries again. That is what we hope to see in the years to come: not stories that shy away from challenges, but stories that refuse to let those challenges become the only narrative we tell. We look forward to future editions filled with stories that go beyond the boundaries of the frame." Before the announcement of the winning films, the historic setting of the Amman Citadel provided a spectacular backdrop for a captivating sand art performance by Omani artist Shayma Al Mughairy, followed by a contemporary interpretation of the traditional dabka by the Majdal Popular Dance Troupe.
The closing ceremony culminated in the presentation of the festival's jury and audience awards across its four competition sections, celebrating outstanding achievements in Arab and international cinema.
The winners were as follows: * Arab Feature-Length Narrative Film Awards Black Iris: A Sad and Beautiful World directed by Cyril Aris (Lebanon) Jury Award: The President's Cake directed by Hasan Hadi (Iraq) Best First-Time Scriptwriter: Mohamed Rashad for The Settlement (Egypt) Best First-Time Lead Actor: Hasan Akil for A Sad and Beautiful World (Lebanon) Best First-Time Lead Actress: Eya Bellagha for Where the Wind Comes From (Tunisia) Audience Award: A Sad and Beautiful World directed by Cyril Aris (Lebanon) * Arab Feature-Length Documentary Film Awards Black Iris: Habibi Hussein directed by Alex Bakri (Palestine) Jury Award: The Other Side of the Sun directed by Tawfik Sabouni (Syria) FIPRESCI Award: The Other Side of the Sun directed by Tawfik Sabouni (Syria) Audience Award: The Other Side of the Sun directed by Tawfik Sabouni (Syria) * Arab Short Film Awards Black Iris: Bimo directed by Oumnia Hanader (Algeria) Best Jordanian Film: Ambush directed by Yassmina Karajah Jury Award: Aicha directed by Sanaa El Alaoui (Morocco) Special Mention: Passport Wedding directed by Abdallah Al-Ziadi (Jordan) Audience Award: Cleanse the streets directed by Aysha Shahaltough (Jordan) * Non-Arab Feature-Length Narrative Film Awards Black Iris: Laundry directed by Zamo Mkhwanazi (South Africa) Jury Award: We Believe You, directed by Charlotte Devillers & Arnaud Dufeys (Belgium) Audience Award: Laundry directed by Zamo Mkhwanazi (South Africa) The lineup reaffirmed the festival's commitment to championing first-time filmmakers. And a major highlight of the festival was its special spotlight on Tunisian cinema, celebrating the richness and diversity of one of the Arab world's most influential cinematic traditions.
As the curtain falls on another successful edition, the Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film looks ahead to building on this momentum, continuing its mission to celebrate bold cinematic voices and strengthen Jordan's position as a leading destination for cinema in the region.
//Petra// AF
