Critics Prize in Jordan

Amman, 26/6/2023 – The Amman International Film Festival – Awal Film is delighted and proud to announce the introduction of a new prestigious award. The fourth edition of the Festival, due to take place 15 – 22 August, will present the FIPRESCI Award for Best Arab Feature Documentary Film, one of the four competitive sections of the Festival.

The International Federation of Film Critics (or FIPRESCI) Prize is awarded at international film festivals of particular value. Founded in 1925, it has members in over 70 countries. The main purpose is to support cinema as an art and as an outstanding and autonomous means of expression, as well as an essential part of national culture and identity. It holds significant importance in the film industry by reflecting the opinion of esteemed film critics and journalists. 

Klaus Eder, General Secretary of FIPRESCI, said: “Although FIPRESCI doesn’t have yet members in Jordan, we hope that our first appearance at the AIFF this summer, with a jury following the documentaries, will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

“The addition of the FIPRESCI award this year marks a significant step in the development of the AIFF and its positioning”, commented Nada Doumani, director of the Festival.  “The choice of the documentary section is not fortuitous; it reflects our belief in the ever-growing importance of non-fiction movies that shed light on different aspects of individual or societal thought-provoking and impactful stories. It is important to recognize the importance of the contributions of filmmakers in this genre, those who make us reflect, discover new horizons and worlds. We are excited to partner with a prestigious organization to recognize their works.”

A jury composed of three international film critics will evaluate the documentary submissions and select the winner of the FIPRESCI Award. This comes in addition to

The Black Iris Awards for Best Feature Arab Narrative, Best Feature Arab Documentary, Best Short Narrative all selected by three juries made up of professionals. The Award for Best Debut non-Arab film is chosen by the audience. All these awards involve significant monetary prizes.