AMMAN, Aug. 15 (Petra) -- The fifth edition of the Jordan Children and Youth Film Festival opened Friday evening at the Royal Film Commission (RFC) headquarters in Amman, held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Jalila bint Ali.

Organized by the commission, the launch event welcomed board members, institutional partners, and a large gathering of children and their families. The opening ceremony featured a special tribute to veteran artist Aida Amerikani, honoring her contributions to Jordanian music, television, and cinema, particularly her iconic vocal work for numerous classic children's animated series.

As the Kingdom's premier festival dedicated to young audiences, this year's edition expands its scope to encompass teenagers alongside children. The broadened mandate seeks to engage Jordan's youth as vital future stakeholders, introducing them to specialized cinematic content that harnesses their growing awareness and vitality for cross-cultural integration.

Running through August 19, the festival's itinerary spans screenings at Taj Cinemas and the RFC headquarters in Amman, alongside regional screenings in various governorates and the Zaatari Refugee Camp. Audiences aged 7 to 15 will enjoy a curated selection of contemporary Arab and international family features, chosen from a competitive pool of short and feature-length submissions.

RFC Managing Director Mohannad Al-Bakri stated that the festival offers youth a gateway to discover cinema, interact with diverse narratives, and see their own lived experiences reflected on screen. "By expanding the festival to include teenagers, we hope to inspire a new generation of audiences and storytellers, cementing cinema as a vital space for creativity, dialogue, and expression," Al-Bakri added.

The lineup introduces young viewers to 13 family feature films selected from international festivals such as the Oscars and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Selections include Russia's The Champions, China's Where the Sun Shines, Canada's Time Travelers: Silk Road, India's To Bring a Bucket of Water, Brazil's My Japanese Grandpa, Indonesia's Solata (Our Friends Are the Family We Choose), the Czech Republic's Tales from a Magical Garden, and Croatia's Paulina P.'s Second Diary.

Returning for a second consecutive year is the classic family film retrospective, featuring timeless live-action and animated features including Anastasia (1997), The Sound of Music (1965), The Princess Bride (1987), Matilda (1996), and The Wizard of Oz (1939), designed to bridge generations and spark family cinematic discussions.

Additionally, the program showcases 12 short fiction and animated films hailing from Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Belgium, the United States, Greece, Brazil, India, and Italy. Screenings will be accompanied by moderated panel discussions with industry professionals to cultivate analytical thinking among young viewers.

Complementing the public screenings, the RFC is hosting three professional training workshops at its Amman headquarters: "Lumiere: Short Filmmaking," "Acting in Front of the Camera," and "Cinematic Makeup and Special Effects."
Two distinct juries have been appointed to evaluate the entries.

The adult professional jury comprises film critic Rania Haddad, veteran actress Rania Fahd Al-Qaqoush, and director Mohammad Rahahleh. Meanwhile, the youth jury features five children and teenagers: Ramzi Al-Attiyat and Israa Abu Roman from the RFC’s "Cinema in Schools" program, Samar Al-Aqrabi and Karim Al-Hamad nominated by the Zaha Cultural Center, and Ahmad Zaiter nominated by UNICEF.

General audiences will also vote to determine the Audience Award favorite.
In a first for the festival, organizers have launched the Short Film Script Development Award. Backed by a 2,000-Jordanian-Dinar grant, the initiative aims to champion fresh creative voices and incentivize original screenplays exploring the realities, challenges, and aspirations of Jordan's youth.

Continuing a three-year partnership, UNICEF and the festival reaffirm their commitment to child rights through the dedicated UNICEF Special Prize for Child Rights.

Competitors will vie for five core honors: the Jury Prize for Best Feature Film, the Jury Prize for Best Short Film, the Children and Youth Jury Prize for Best Short Film, the Audience Award for Best Feature Film, and the UNICEF Special Prize for Child Rights. The festival will conclude with an awards ceremony on Thursday, August 20, at the RFC headquarters.

//Petra// AA

15/08/2026 15:50:34