Under the Patronage of the Minister of Culture
H.E. Dr. Mohammad Abu Rumman,
The Royal Film Commission – Jordan
invites you to attend the

9th edition of the
Arab Film Festival Amman

From Sunday 25th until Friday 30th of August 2019

The opening film is at 8 PM at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan
Other daily screenings are:
At 6:30 PM – The Rainbow Theater
and at 9:00 PM – The Royal Film Commission – Jordan

Please note the theater is suitable for those with limited mobility

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Sunday 25 August
8:00 PM at The Royal Film Commission – Jordan
Screwdriver (MAFAK)
Followed by a discussion with the director Bassam Jarbawi

RATED 16

Public invitation. Free entry.

Bassam Jarbawi, 108 min, Drama, in Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles, Palestine, 2018

In 1992, Al-Amari Refugee Camp in Palestine is a collection of cement cubicles, angles, colors, smells and sounds. It’s tight, but eight-year-old Ziad and Ramzi find the space to explore. While playing around with old tools, Ziad accidentally cuts Ramzi. Ramzi stabs Ziad with a screwdriver. Immediately, they become best friends.

In 2002, teenagers Ziad and Ramzi are the stars of Al-Amari basketball team. But, when Ramzi is shot dead in a crossfire, Ziad and his team seek revenge. Ziad is captured by Israeli forces, tortured, and then released fifteen years later.
Haunted by the memories of his past, Ziad fails to move forward. Living in limbo, unable to distinguish reality from hallucination he unravels and forces himself to go back to where it all began.

The film has received Best Film Award at Bosphorus Film Festival and Best Film at Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival. It has also participated in many festivals such as New York Human Rights Watch Film Festival, El Gouna Film Festival, Carthage Film Festival, Chicago Palestine Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Haifa Independent Film Festival, Singapore International Film Festival and others.

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Monday 26 August
6:30 PM at the Rainbow Theater
Erased, Ascent of the Invisible

PG 13

Public invitation. Free entry.

Ghassan Halawani, 76 min, Essay Documentary, in Arabic and English with English subtitles, Lebanon, 2018

2014: on a wall in the city of Beirut are spread layers over layers of hundreds of torn posters. Selling lines and ripped images jump to the eye: apartments, pastries, concerts, loans, restaurants, plumbing, religious tours for the faithful… anything!

Suddenly, in the middle of this rubble, a glimpse: the partial picture of a face. Only a moustache, the trace of a shy smile, a chin, and part of an ear. Also noticeable in the photo, the fragments of a black leather jacket.

A vagabond with a pencil sets to heal the rest of the face, restoring its missing traits. “The image of a man whose features were convincing took shape in front of me! But who is that man?”

On his unsettled journey through Beirut, various encounters and incidents constantly put the vagabond back on track, on the trail of the people gone missing during the Lebanese civil war. But the vagabond faces a city striving by all possible means to erase those traces beyond recovery, to a point of no return.

The film has won the Special Mention for First Feature at Locarno Film Festival, the Bronze Tanit for Best Long Documentary at Carthage Film Festival, Fathy Farag Prize for Best Artistic Contribution – International Film Critics’ Week at the 40th Cairo International Film Festival, Best Film at Laceno d’Oro, Special Mention at International Competition of Transcinema, Special Mention at Latin Arab Film Festival and Best Documentary at Gabes Cinema Fen in Tunisia

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Monday 26 August
9:00 PM at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan
10 Days before the Wedding
Followed by a discussion with the director Amr Gamal

Public invitation. Free entry.

Amr Gamal, 120 min, Comedy/ Drama/ Musical, in Arabic with English subtitles, Yemen, 2018

Rasha and Ma’moon, a young Yemeni couple were set to get married but the war of 2015 stood in the way of their wedding. After so much suffering, they try the best they can to make it happen in 2018, yet again, obstacles appear but this time it’s not the war, it’s the aftermath. Starting from having to evacuate their homes, and dealing with war dealers controlling their faiths, going through conflicts with armed militias, then ending with the economic crisis.

A romantic journey full of humor that Rasha and Ma’moun go through over ten days. The couple struggles to race with time to make sure the wedding happens on time.

Yemen submitted “10 Days before the Wedding” to compete at the Best Film in a Foreign Language Category at the Oscar Awards 2019.

It has won the Special Jury Award at Aswan international Women’s Film Festival, Best Hair and Makeup Award and Best Costume Design at Jaipur International Film Festival as well as the Audience Choice Award at San Diego Arab Film Festival. The movie was screened in several festival including: Pune International Film Festival, Casablanca Arab Film Festival and Zanzibar International Film Festival.

It also participated in many film festivals such as Toronto International Film Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, Marrakech International Film Festival, Beirut Cinema Days, Cairo Cinema Days, Arab Film Festival Soa Paulo, Glasgow Film Festival and many more.

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Tuesday 27 August
6:30 PM at the Rainbow Theater
Catharsys or The Afina Tales of the Lost World

PG 13

Public invitation. Free entry.

Yassine Marco Marroccu, 98 min, Drama, in Arabic with English subtitles, Morocco, 2018

In a world staggering under the strain of global drought, the Chairman hosts the “Morning Dark Show”, a radio programme with a massive following. His rants are sermon-like in their vigour as he rains down invective, piling the blame and guilt for what seems like the end of times on his listeners’ own sorry selves. “It will never get better,” he claims, “and you will stay as you are.” When the Chairman randomly selects Jamal Afina to share his life story on air, the whole world tunes in to hear his extraordinary journey. Darkly visionary, the universe of Catharsys, or The Afina Tales of the Lost World is less a frightening, futuristic dystopia than a nightmarish echo of the state of the world right now.

The movie has reaped the Best Cinematography, Best First Film, Best Script, Best Music at Tangier National Film Festival. It was screened at Tallin Black Nights Film Festival.

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Tuesday 27 August
9:00 PM at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan
AKASHA

PG 13

Public invitation. Free entry.

Hajooj Kuka, 78 min, Comedy/ Romance, in Arabic with English subtitles, Sudan, 2018

Adnan is a Sudanese revolutionary who is considered a war hero. His love for his AK47 rifle is equaled only by his feelings for Lina, his long-suffering sweetheart. When Adnan is late to return to his military unit after his leave, army commander Blues launches a kasha: the rounding up and arresting of truant soldiers. Adnan is caught-off guard and makes a run for it with pacifist Absi. The two unlikely friends plot ways to reunite Adnan with his gun – and with Lina – while avoiding their fellow soldiers.

Through a series of wry and humorous incidents over 24 hours, we explore life and ideology in rebel-held areas of Sudan.

The film’s World Premiere was at Venice Critics Week in 2018, and it was also screened at Toronto International Film Festival. “AKASHA” has received the Gold Award and for Best Feature Film and Best Director at Queen Palm International Film Festival.

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Wednesday 28 August
6:30 PM at the Rainbow Theater
Zero Distance
Followed by a discussion with the director Abdulaziz Alshlahei

PG 13

Public invitation. Free entry.

Abdulaziz Alshlahei, 75 min, Narrative/ Thriller, in Arabic with English subtitles, Saudi Arabia, 2019

In early 2000s Riyadh, passionate photographer Majid owns a studio with his business partner and close friend. Life is going well for Majid until he mysteriously finds memory loss pills prescribed to him. Things get more confusing when complete strangers recognize him from a seemingly past life. As Majid searches for answers, he confronts his past, faces his fears, and the closest people to him. The truth comes crashing down on him when he finds a picture of a dead body on his apartment floor and his gun missing a bullet.

“Zero Distance” has won Best Film at Saudi Film Festival and was screened at Al Ain Film Festival.

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Wednesday 28 August
9:00 PM at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan
Gunshot
Followed by a discussion with the director Karim El Shenawy

PG 13

Public invitation. Free entry.

Karim El Shenawy, 90 min, Narrative/ Crime, in Arabic with English subtitles, Egypt, 2018

Amid deadly clashes with anti-riot forces, bodies start piling in Cairo’s morgue. While examining the cadaver of Alaa Abu Zayd, the forensic doctor notices something unusual. The doctor, who is alcohol dependent and battles personal and family problems, writes a medical report that stirs media frenzy, public anger, and accusations of political and ethical corruption. Along with a hard-working journalist, they undertake a journey seeking facts, where their perception of truth, their principles and beliefs are challenged, and they are forced to face the dilemma of their life.

The film’s World Premiere was at El Gouna Film Festival and it was also screened at Cairo International Film Festival.

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Thursday 29 August
6:30 PM at the Rainbow Theater
Of Sheep and Men

Public invitation. Free entry.

Karim Sayad, 78 min, Documentary, in Arabic with English subtitles, Algeria, 2017

Bab el Oued, Algiers, 2016: Sixteen-year-old Habib dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Unable to study for his hoped-for profession, he buys a sheep and names it “El Bouq”. He hopes is to train the animal to become a fighting champion.

Meanwhile, 42-year-old Samir no longer has any dreams, other than to make enough money by selling sheep so he can survive the hardships of daily life.

With the Eid celebration fast approaching, Samir has a unique oppor¬tunity to maximize his profits, as everyone in the country will be buying sheep for slaughter. But for Habib, it’s another story: Will “El Bouq” become a champion? Or will he face a more tragic destiny?

The film has won the Solothurn Prize at Solothurn Film Festival in Switzerland and the First Film Award at Primed Film Festival in Marseille. It was nominated for the Golden Star Award at the Feature Documentary Competition at El Gouna Film Festival. It participated as well in Toronto International Film Festival.

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Thursday 29 August
9:00 PM at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan
Fatwa

PG 13

Public invitation. Free entry.

Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud, 102 min, Drama, In Arabic with English subtitles, Tunisia, 2018

Brahim, a Tunisian who lives in France, gets back to Tunis to bury his son who died in a motorcycle accident. He discovers that young Marouane was militating with a radical Islamist group. Brahim decides to conduct his investigation to identify the ones who indoctrinated him.

“Fatwa” has won the Arab Cinema Horizon’s Award and Best Arabic Film at Cairo International Film Festival as well as Best Actor and Tanit D’or at Carthage Film Festival.

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Friday 30 August
9:00 PM at the Royal Film Commission – Jordan
Still Burning
Followed by a discussion with the director Georges Hachem

RATED 16

Public invitation. Free entry.

Georges Hachem, 110 min, Drama, in Arabic and French with Arabic and English subtitles, Lebanon, 2016

André, a Lebanese filmmaker who lives and works in France, meets unexpectedly Walid, the very close friend he has not seen for years.

In their youth, in Beirut, during the civil war, they were possessed by the same artistic vocation: cinema, but also by the same woman: Amira.

Their reunion, all night long, will not fail to awaken their old repressed demons for better and for worse.

The movie has been nominated for Best Lebanese Motion Picture, Best Lebanese Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Design in a Lebanese Motion Picture at The Lebanese Movie Awards.