The 11th edition of the Jordan International Film Festival kicks off in the capital Amman, running from September 20-24, 2026, starting at 8:00 PM, under the patronage of Minister of Culture Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, with the attendance of Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture Dr. Nidal Al-Ayasrah and President of the Jordan Artists Association Dr. Hani Al-Jarrah, alongside a number of artists, directors, academics, critics, and Arab and foreign guests.
اضافة اعلان
The new edition affirms the presence of Jordanian cinema and strengthens communication between Jordanian filmmakers and their counterparts from around the world, through screening a range of cinematic works varied in their themes, visions, and artistic styles.
This year the festival received 2,099 films from various countries around the world, which underwent viewing and evaluation by specialized committees, with 8 films selected to participate in the official competition, alongside the participation of 6 films produced by the Jordanian Ministry of Culture and 6 films created by students from Jordanian universities, in a step aimed at supporting local film production and encouraging young talent. Film screenings begin at 7:30 PM.
The opening program includes a special screening of a film covering the festival's narrative through its previous editions, a work produced by the Royal Film Commission Jordan.
The festival is also honoring artist, director, and film critic Adnan Madanat this year, as the Jordan International Film Festival's honored figure, in recognition of his artistic and intellectual career and his contributions to Jordanian and Arab cinema, with the ceremony's program including the screening of a film documenting part of his experience and cinematic career.
The festival is also celebrating a number of pioneers of Jordanian art and drama, by honoring artist and director Salah Abu Hnoud, artist Mohammad Al-Abbadi, artist Abdul Karim Al-Qawasmi, and artist and director Ahmad Da'eibes, in recognition of their contributions to the course of Jordanian art and drama and the mark they've left on the local and Arab artistic memory.
The festival features the participation of a supreme and technical committee chaired by Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture Dr. Nidal Al-Ayasrah, with members including President of the Jordan Artists Association Dr. Hani Al-Jarrah, Dr. Amer Ghraibeh, Dr. Ahmad Al-Faleh, director Sandra Qa'war, and director Ishaq Yassin, while director Mohammad Al-Asha serves as the committee's secretary.
The official competition's jury includes Dr. Ali Al-Rubayat as chairman, along with Dr. Joseph Shmali, director Khaled Sali, Mr. Marwan Al-Salhi, and producer Dalia Al-Namer as members, with the committee responsible for evaluating the participating films and selecting the winning works.
The festival is hosting a number of Arab guests and filmmakers, including Dr. Taha Al-Hashimi, Dr. Hikmat Al-Baidhani, director Amer Al-Salamin, and director Hani Al-Mullah, as part of strengthening Arab presence and cultural and cinematic exchange.
The opening ceremony also includes an artistic segment performed by the Jordan Artists Association's troupe, presenting a group of Jordanian songs celebrating musical heritage and national identity.
Through its program, the festival affirmed that cinema represents a space for dialogue and communication between cultures, and that film is not merely a work of art shown on screen, but represents a visual document carrying ideas, experiences, and human memory capable of reaching audiences and crossing geographic boundaries.
The festival's activities continue the following day with the start of screenings for the films participating in the official competition, beginning at 7:30 PM, amid cinematic, artistic, and academic attendance.
Resource: Al-Ghad.
