Amman International Film Festival announces winners of sixth edition
The sixth edition of the Amman International Film Festival (Awal Film) wrapped up with an awards ceremony held at the Hussein Cultural Centre in the Jordanian capital. The evening, attended by Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym Ali, the festival's President and co-founder, marked the end of nine days filled with screenings, cross-cultural dialogue and the celebration of bold and unconventional storytelling.
This year's theme, A World Unscripted , spotlighted films that challenge cinematic conventions, embracing narratives that unfold with raw authenticity and emotional depth. The festival paid tribute to creativity, vision, and the power of storytelling by recognising outstanding films from across the Arab world and beyond.
A special highlight of this edition was the Republic of Ireland's designation as Country of Honour, with a dedicated showcase of Irish cinema. Acclaimed Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan was welcomed as the guest of the 'First & Latest' segment, adding further prestige to the program.
Across the nine-day event, 62 films from 23 countries were screened, including 16 world premieres. Filmmaker panels and industry discussions drew diverse audiences from Jordan and abroad, emphasising the festival's growing regional and international presence.
The closing night honoured excellence in four categories—Arab Feature-Length Narratives, Documentaries, Shorts and Non-Arab Films. In the Arab Feature Narrative category, Red Path by Lotfi Achour (Tunisia) received the Black Iris Award, while Mahdi Fleifel's To a Land Unknown (Palestine) earned both the Jury Award and Audience Award. Jordanian filmmaker Tamara Owais received special mention for her debut script Simsim, alongside first-time lead actor and actress recognitions for Ali Helali, Azzam Ahmed and Saja Kilani.
In the documentary section, the Black Iris Award was jointly awarded to (Y)our Mother by Samira El Mouzghibati (Morocco) and We Are Inside by Farah Kassem (Lebanon). Rand Beiruty's Tell Them About Us (Lebanon) secured the Jury and Audience Awards, while Bassam Mortada's Abu Zaabal 89 (Egypt) received both a Special Mention and the FIPRESCI Award.
The Arab Short Film Black Iris went to A Passing Day'by Rasha Shahin (Egypt–Syria) and Your Excellency by Musaed Alqudifi (Kuwait) won the Audience Award. Among non-Arab films, Sarah Friedland's Familiar Touch (USA) won the Black Iris, while the Czech animated film Tales From the Magic Garden took home the Audience Award.
The short film The Ant That Crossed My Sketchbook by Chris Akoury was screened during the ceremony, capping off a festival that not only celebrated cinematic artistry but also reaffirmed the power of storytelling to connect people across borders.
Organisers extended gratitude to the filmmakers, audiences, and partners who have helped anchor the festival in its cultural context while opening it to the world. Looking ahead, the Amman Film Festival is already preparing for its next edition, aiming to build on its achievements with broader programming and deeper collaborations.
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This year's selection spotlighted films that boldly defy convention, where characters live beyond the page and stories emerge from the unpredictability, chaos and raw beauty of real life. The sixth edition of the Amman International Film Festival (Awal Film) wrapped up with an awards ceremony held at the Hussein Cultural Centre in the Jordanian capital. The evening, attended by Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym Ali, the festival's President and co-founder, marked the end of nine days filled with screenings, cross-cultural dialogue and the celebration of bold and unconventional storytelling. This year's theme, A World Unscripted , spotlighted films that challenge cinematic conventions, embracing narratives that unfold with raw authenticity and emotional depth. The festival paid tribute to creativity, vision, and the power of storytelling by recognising outstanding films from across the Arab world and beyond. A special highlight of this edition was the Republic of Ireland's designation as Country of Honour, with a dedicated showcase of Irish cinema. Acclaimed Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan was welcomed as the guest of the 'First & Latest' segment, adding further prestige to the program. Across the nine-day event, 62 films from 23 countries were screened, including 16 world premieres. Filmmaker panels and industry discussions drew diverse audiences from Jordan and abroad, emphasising the festival's growing regional and international presence. The closing night honoured excellence in four categories—Arab Feature-Length Narratives, Documentaries, Shorts and Non-Arab Films. In the Arab Feature Narrative category, Red Path by Lotfi Achour (Tunisia) received the Black Iris Award, while Mahdi Fleifel's To a Land Unknown (Palestine) earned both the Jury Award and Audience Award. Jordanian filmmaker Tamara Owais received special mention for her debut script Simsim, alongside first-time lead actor and actress recognitions for Ali Helali, Azzam Ahmed and Saja Kilani. In the documentary section, the Black Iris Award was jointly awarded to (Y)our Mother by Samira El Mouzghibati (Morocco) and We Are Inside by Farah Kassem (Lebanon). Rand Beiruty's Tell Them About Us (Lebanon) secured the Jury and Audience Awards, while Bassam Mortada's Abu Zaabal 89 (Egypt) received both a Special Mention and the FIPRESCI Award. The Arab Short Film Black Iris went to A Passing Day'by Rasha Shahin (Egypt–Syria) and Your Excellency by Musaed Alqudifi (Kuwait) won the Audience Award. Among non-Arab films, Sarah Friedland's Familiar Touch (USA) won the Black Iris, while the Czech animated film Tales From the Magic Garden took home the Audience Award. The short film The Ant That Crossed My Sketchbook by Chris Akoury was screened during the ceremony, capping off a festival that not only celebrated cinematic artistry but also reaffirmed the power of storytelling to connect people across borders. Organisers extended gratitude to the filmmakers, audiences, and partners who have helped anchor the festival in its cultural context while opening it to the world. Looking ahead, the Amman Film Festival is already preparing for its next edition, aiming to build on its achievements with broader programming and deeper collaborations.
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