2 August 2022

Amman, Jordan — The third year of the Amman International Film Festival (AIFF) brought together film talent and enthusiasts to premiere 49 films from 29 countries, a testament to Jordan’s emerging role as a major actor in Arab cinema. 

The festival ran between 20 and 27 July under the theme “First Film; First Love,” and is the only one in the region that focuses on first-time directors in film.

“There is a growing interest in cinema and filmmaking throughout Jordan,” Nada Doumani, the festival’s co-founder, told Middle East Eye. “The festival is a huge cultural movement.”

While Jordan has for decades provided pristine backdrops for blockbuster productions such as Lawrence of Arabia and Warner Bros’ 2021 science fiction film, Dune, now there’s an even bigger desire to develop the film industry in the country.

“There is really a thirst to watch Jordanian films, to see our stories on the big screen,” said Deema Azar, the producer of one of the festival’s Jordan-made films, Farha. 

Here, Discover takes a look at the emerging talent that made its mark at the festival.