DUBAI: A diverse slate of films supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation has been selected for this year’s Amman International Film Festival, underlining the Saudi organization’s growing role in championing Arab and international independent cinema.
The festival runs until Aug. 3.
The selected titles span dramas, thrillers and socially conscious stories from across the Middle East and North Africa. They will screen across the festival's competitive sections.
Among the line-up is “A Sad and Beautiful World” by Lebanese director Cyril Aris, a poignant drama following two friends as they grapple with love, loss and the uncertainty of life in a city facing multiple crises.
Moroccan filmmaker Meryem Benm’Barek-Aloisi brings “Behind the Palm Trees,” which explores family bonds and social expectations through the story of a young couple, will screen in the Arab Feature Narrative Films section.
Sudanese director Suzannah Mirghani’s “Cotton Queen” is a coming-of-age tale centered on a young girl chasing her ambitions against the backdrop of Sudan’s cotton-growing communities, while Algerian filmmaker Yanis Koussim’s “Roqia” blends psychological drama with suspense in an exploration of trauma and healing.
Egyptian director Mohamed Rashad’s “The Settlement” follows two brothers whose lives are transformed after their father’s death, forcing them to confront grief, responsibility and harsh economic realities.
The festival will also screen “Exile” by Tunisian filmmaker Mehdi Hmili, “Yunan” by Ameer Fakher Eldin, “Sink” by Zain Duraie, “The Other Side of the Sun” by Tawfik Sabouni, “Habibi Hussein” by Alex Bakri and “Anti Cinema” by Ali Saeed, further showcasing the breadth of regional filmmaking supported by the foundation.
Held annually in Jordan, the Amman International Film Festival celebrates emerging Arab and international filmmakers, with a particular focus on first and second feature films.
