Helen's blog

In
an outdoor amphitheater, with a sweeping view of old downtown Amman and
the Citadel, a large screen and a high quality sound system, the Royal
Film Commission welcomes cinema buffs in Jordan to watch and discuss a
variety of films from all over the world.

The screenings showcase short, documentary and
feature films directed by Jordanian, regional and international
filmmakers. But, the RFC doesn’t only reach out to film lovers in the
capital, it is keen on showing them in the governorates where theaters
are unavailable. Films are selected carefully and are screened in Amman
on its premises – at the Film House - or at the Hussein Cultural Center
or the Royal Cultural Center. All RFC-sponsored events are free of
charge and give the audience the opportunity to get exposed to quality
films that are not shown in commercial theaters or on television.
During the screenings, film directors or film critics are sometimes
present to discuss the pictures with the public, to debate and explain
the stories and to give tips and insight on technical aspects related
to filmmaking.

The screenings organized by the RFC are sometimes
held in cooperation with cultural institutions such as Al Balad Theater
in Amman. Different embassies or cultural centers like the French, the
Spanish and the Swiss, just to name a few, along with the EU Commission
are also partnering with the RFC within the framework of their cultural
agendas. Through those events, a multitude of films from different
cultures and backgrounds are being shown to a wide audience in Jordan.

The RFC’s cooperation with the Higher Council for
Youth (HCY) has also helped spread cinema culture in the governorates
through its “Alternative Cinema Project”. The project sponsors and
organizes on a monthly basis screenings in the twelve governorates of
the Kingdom. It thus promotes cinema culture and raises awareness in
local communities about the importance of films and filmmaking.

Another screening project is also running
successfully since 2007, in cooperation with the Abdel Mohsen Qattan
Foundation, under the auspices of its Palestinian Audio-visual Project
(PAV). The foundation has acquired non-commercial licenses to over 50
classical, international and regional films, which are screened in six
different cultural centers in Amman in cooperation with the RFC.

The Royal Film Commission’s main objective, in
regularly organizing film screenings, is to reach the widest possible
audience so that Jordanians, in the capital as well as in the various
cities and towns, can expand their cinematographic knowledge and meet
different cultures from all over the world. The screenings allow
filmmakers to view the works produced by other directors, and to see
important quality films. Moreover, by developing and nurturing a local
audience interested in cinema, the RFC builds the necessary base for a
strong and sustainable Jordanian film industry.