Swedish film festival to screen aspiring Jordanian filmmakers’ works

AMMAN — Three Jordanian filmmakers will have their short films screened during the Malmø Arab Film Festival (MAFF) in Sweden at the beginning of May. 

MAFF is the leading and largest film festival focusing on Arab cinema outside the Arab world, according its website.

The short films were made by Jordanian filmmakers through a project titled “Voices Amplified”. 

The project aimed to provide aspiring filmmakers from Jordan the opportunity to produce short narrative films under the theme “Cultural Heritage”. 

The project provided the filmmakers with mentoring from Swedish and Jordanian filmmakers as well as financial support, according to the website 

Last week, the Royal Film Commission (RFC), in partnership with the Malmø Arab Film Festival and supported by the Swedish Institute, screened the three films at the Rainbow Theatre. 

The three Jordanian directors Karam Awadat, Mooney Abu Samra and Mohammad Khabour were given the opportunity to produce films through the project. 

Khabour`s film, “Red Plate”, revolves around magic.

“I wanted to show how magic is present in all our lives, and especially in Jordanian society,” he told The Jordan Times.

The film tells the story of a 40-year-old man living in a village in Jordan. He is not married and wants to find love. His mother, a magician, helps him on his journey to find a wife, through magic. 

Awadat’s film “Sheta Film”, portrays a young refugee couple living in Jordan. The movie tells the story of how the couple is struggling to adjust to living in a foreign country while belonging to different religions.

“We tried to shed light on the difficulties refugees face in a foreign country, trying to make a living and fit into a strange society. As a director I prefer to go for dramatic scripts, because I think that drama touches everyone’s hearts,” Awdat told The Jordan Times. 

”I feel very lucky to be selected for such an important event, and for the great opportunity I have been given from the Swedish Institute and the Jordanian Royal Film Commission,” he said.