The Franco-Arab Film Festival has wrapped up at Amman’s Royal Cultural Center.
Six long narrative films were screened at the festival, representing the Lebanese, Egyptian, Moroccan and Tunisian cinema industries.
The festival was organized by Abdel Hamid Shouman Foundation in collaboration with the Greater Amman Municipality and the French embassy.
The films include Ali Zaoua, by Moroccan director Nabil Ayoush, Ors Al Qamar (Moon Wedding), by Tunisian director Al Tayyeb Al Wheishi, Al Shaikhah, by the Lebanese Laila Assaf, Waqae’ Maghribiyyah (Moroccan Events), by Moroccan director Moemen Al Smeihi, Contro Darb Al Saadah, by Egyptian director Asmaa Al Bakri, and Mawsem Al Rijal (Men’s Season), by Tunisian director Mufidah Al Talatli.
These major works have been awarded prizes at many regional and international festivals.
Ali Zaoua won the Grand-Prix of the Moroccan National Cinema Festival. The film also won the dialogue and screenplay prizes at the 6th cinema festival held in Marrakesh this spring, as well as the jury's special prize.
The movie which deals with street children in Morocco and stars real homeless children. It won the ecumenical prize at Montreal's World Cinema Festival last September for its "artistic qualities and contribution to human progress and in recognition of its spiritual, social and ethical values."
Last November, the film also won the Grand-Prix for best film at the international Stockholm festival and the Grand-Prix of the 49th international Mannheim-Heidelberg festival - Albawaba.com
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