“We wish to share with you our cinematographic experience, the fruit of years of work and commitment to make the voice of our country and our region heard through the art of cinema,” announces Mohannad Al Bakri, director of the Commission Jordan’s film royal in her inaugural speech.
The 35e edition of the Carthage Cinematographic Days, a meeting place for Arab and African cinema, this year offers particular insight into Jordan, a country of cinema that is both in full swing and resolutely anchored in the social and political realities of the Arab world. As part of a Jordan Focus, a vast selection of films ranging from feature-length fiction films to short films including documentaries, is offered to the Tunisian public.
The opening of Focus was held on Sunday evening, in the presence of several emblematic figures and officials. In his inaugural speech, Mohannad Al Bakri, Director of the Royal Film Commission of Jordan, highlighted the importance of this event: “We would like to share with you our cinematic experience, the fruit of years of work and commitment to make hearing the voice of our country and our region through the art of cinema. An invitation to discover a Jordanian cinema which, far from clichés, reveals intimate stories and social perspectives, while placing its issues in an often turbulent regional and global context.
Cinema, as a vector of human consciousness and resistance, was at the heart of Al Bakri’s speech. Echoing the tragic events shaking the region, particularly the situation in Palestine, he expressed: “In these difficult times when the barbaric machine of occupation is exercising its violence against our people in Palestine, we need more than ever truth—a truth that only cinema can reveal.” The idea that cinema is a mirror of societies, capable of reflecting the complexities of history and human relationships, was forcefully underlined.
He also spoke of the deep historical and cultural ties between Jordan and Palestine, recalling that the two peoples, linked by a common geography, share similar challenges, particularly through the prism of cinema. The Royal Film Commission (established in 2003) has worked for two decades to support Jordanian cinema, but also to support film projects that tell the Palestinian story. Al Bakri stressed the importance of this cooperation: “Cinema is an essential bridge that unites people, and we are proud to support the Palestinian narrative through cinematic art.”
The opening night was marked by the preview screening of Inshallah a Boy (2023), a poignant drama from director Amjad Rasheed. This film, selected for Critics’ Week at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, addresses the issue of heritage and women’s rights in Jordanian society. The story of Mona Hawa, a young widow who struggles to keep custody of her daughter and her house, unfolds in a context where legislation favors men’s rights. Inshallah a Boy is also Jordan’s film candidate for the Academy Award for Best International Film.
This feature film perfectly illustrates one of the specificities of Jordanian cinema: a desire to question social and legal structures, while delving into human realities that are often ignored. The film was produced with the support of the RFC and remains an example of the institution’s commitment to supporting projects both local and international, resonant with contemporary societal issues.
In addition to Inshallah a Boy, Focus Jordan offers a diverse selection of films that explore the richness of Jordanian cinematography through various genres. The program includes six feature-length fiction films, one documentary and five short films, allowing immersion in stories as deep as they are varied.
These films, with varied themes, tackle subjects as burning as the heritage of women, war, the quest for freedom, and social tensions. Theeb, an award-winning film by Naji Abu Nawar, which won the Best Arab Film award at the 2015 JCC, is one of the most emblematic films of this generation of directors who, with a vision that is both intimate and universal, explore the stories of the recent history of the region.
