Art & Culture

The Amman International Film Festival Kicks Off With Tunisian Cinema and a Mohammad Bakri Tribute

BYMeriem Belhiba

July 27, 2026

Amman’s Al Hussein Cultural Center became a meeting point for Arab cinema on Sunday evening as the seventh Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film (AIFF) officially opened its doors. Princess Rym Ali, the festival’s president, attended alongside Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, filmmakers, actors, and industry insiders from Jordan and across the region.

Running under the theme “Beyond the Frame,” this year’s edition looks at everything that exists outside the boundaries of an image: the memories, cultures and lived experiences that shape who gets to tell a story and how it is seen.

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“Beyond the frame live culture, memory and experience. These are what give films their emotion, authenticity and unique voice,” Princess Rym said during the ceremony. “For Arab filmmakers, looking beyond the frame also means reclaiming our own narratives. For too long, others decided which stories deserved to be seen, what was inside the frame and what was to be left out.”

That commitment to Arab storytelling took centre stage through a special focus on Tunisian cinema. The programme traces more than three decades of the country’s filmmaking through six titles: Moufida Tlatli’s The Silences of the Palace; Raja Amari’s Satin Rouge; Nouri Bouzid’s Making Of; Mohamed Ben Attia’s Hedi; Kaouther Ben Hania’s Beauty and the Dogs; and Mehdi Hmili’s Exile. Together, the films move across generations and genres while reflecting Tunisian cinema’s enduring engagement with gender, class, political violence, and personal freedom.

The evening opened with Sophia, the latest feature from Tunisian actor and director Dhafer L’Abidine, who was present to introduce the film to the audience. Jordanian musician Yazan Al Rousan extended the celebration beyond the screen with a performance of Sabah El Khair Tunis.

One of the ceremony’s most personal moments came with a tribute to the late Palestinian actor and filmmaker Mohammad Bakri. His wife, Laila, and his children Saleh Bakri, Adam Bakri, and Yafa Bakri joined the commemoration, speaking about the man behind an artistic legacy that helped shape Palestinian cinema.

Hosted by Jordanian artist Zain Awad and radio presenter Muhannad Al Jazerah, the ceremony also introduced the juries overseeing the festival’s competitive sections and the Amman Film Industry Days.

The opening marked the beginning of nine days of screenings, conversations, and industry events running through Aug. 3. This year’s programme brings together 82 films from 27 countries, including 10 world premieres, two international premieres, and five Arab premieres.

Alongside its film selection, the festival will host public conversations, panel discussions, and encounters with filmmakers and actors, continuing its focus on emerging voices and first cinematic achievements from the Arab world and beyond.

The Amman International Film Festival Kicks Off With Tunisian Cinema and a Mohammad Bakri Tribute

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The Amman International Film Festival Kicks Off With Tunisian Cinema and a Mohammad Bakri Tribute

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