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