From rising Arab filmmakers and a celebration of Tunisian cinema to public conversations with industry figures, here is what to expect from the festival’s seventh edition.

The Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film is now underway in Jordan, bringing together emerging filmmakers, established cinema figures, and audiences in the capital until August 3.

Since launching, the festival has built its identity around celebrating first achievements in cinema. Its name, Awal Film, translates from Arabic as “First Film”, reflecting its focus on debut work by directors, writers and actors.

Led by festival president and co-founder Princess Rym Ali and festival director Nada Doumani, the seventh edition presents 82 films from 27 countries. The programme includes 10 world premieres, two international premieres and five Arab premieres, selected from almost 900 submissions.

Held under the theme Beyond the Frame, this year’s festival encourages filmmakers and audiences to look beyond what is immediately visible and challenge conventional ways of thinking.

A Celebration of Tunisian Cinema

Tunisia takes centre stage with a six-film programme showcasing some of the country’s most notable cinematic achievements.

The festival opened with Sophia, the latest film from Tunisian actor and director Dhafer L’Abidine. He also stars in the thriller as the estranged father of a London-based girl who disappears while visiting Tunis.

The Tunisian connection continues through the festival’s conversations and competition juries. Acclaimed actress and producer Hend Sabry leads the Arab feature narrative jury alongside Lebanese filmmaker Joana Hadjithomas, actor Khalid Abdalla and Jordanian composer Tareq Al Nasser.

The Films to Watch

Eight films are competing in the Arab Feature Narrative Competition. Highlights include Suzannah Mirghani’s Sudanese feminist drama Cotton Queen and Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake, an Iraqi childhood adventure about a nine-year-old girl tasked with gathering ingredients for President Saddam Hussein’s birthday cake.

Lebanese filmmaker Cyril Aris presents A Sad and Beautiful World, a love story starring Mounia Akl, while further entries arrive from Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

The documentary competition offers seven titles examining personal memory, political history and identity. Among them are Jihan K’s My Father and Qaddafi, Zahraa Ghandour’s Flana and Alex Bakri’s Habibi Hussein.

International cinema is represented through a seven-film non-Arab competition. Its line-up ranges from Akinola Davies Jr’s British-Nigerian drama My Father’s Shadow to Grace Passô’s Brazilian film Our Secret.

The winners will receive cash prizes and the festival’s Black Iris trophies, while audiences can vote for their favourite entries across the competitive sections.

Jordanian filmmaking also has a significant presence, with 13 films appearing throughout the programme. A new Made in Jordan section spotlights work created by Jordanians and Jordan-based residents through workshops and educational initiatives.

Beyond the Screenings

The programme extends beyond the cinema through public conversations with Hend Sabry, Khalid Abdalla, filmmaker Brillante Mendoza and producer Dora Bouchoucha. Running alongside the festival from July 27 to August 1, the Amman Film Industry Days offers masterclasses, workshops, panels, networking and pitching platforms for projects in development and post-production. A new Short Film Incubator will also support emerging Jordanian filmmakers with mentorship, script development and pitching preparation.

The Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film continues until August 3, 2026.