Festivals and celebrationsMiddle East
Jordan Short Film Festival
In its own language: مهرجان الأردن للفيلم القصير
Amman's annual gathering for independent short cinema from Jordan and across the world
The Jordan Short Film Festival is an annual cinema event based in Amman that highlights independent short films from the Arab region and across the globe. Organised by the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative, it runs international and regional competitions alongside year-round screenings across the country.
When is Jordan Short Film Festival kept?
Jordan Short Film Festival is kept on annually, with periodic screenings throughout the year.
The Jordan Short Film Festival brings independent cinema to audiences in Amman and across Jordan. Run by the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative, the festival acts as a gathering place where local and regional creators can present their work. It connects Arab directors to global movements in independent filmmaking while giving cinema enthusiasts access to original short stories, non-commercial productions, and competitive screenings from across the globe.
Origins and early screenings
In 2004, the festival started as an uncompetitive week dedicated to short cinema. Director Hazim M. Bitar, an artist belonging to the Palestinian diaspora, established the event to offer Jordanian film lovers a venue to watch local work. Early editions featured productions made by the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative as well as pieces created by independent directors from Palestine and Jordan. Audiences initially voted for their favourite entries through choice awards. Over time, the gathering expanded from a local showcase into a structured, competitive event, eventually holding Jordan's sole nationally organised contest for short films.
Competitions and awards
Two primary juries preside over the festival, one assessing submissions from Arab directors and the other judging international work. These categories honour exceptional films with titles for the best Arab and international releases. Alongside the top prizes, judges grant special mentions to recognise individual craft, including scriptwriting, camera work, directing, and performance. Beyond the main competition, the festival introduced separate tracks for beginners and creative formats. These include a mobile phone video contest and a section called All Films Look Alike, which encourages amateur directors to experiment and present their pieces to public audiences.
Collaborations and outreach
The festival extends past its central venue in Amman through intermittent public showings held across Jordan all year long. To sustain these activities, the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative works closely with regional and international cultural bodies. Domestic partners include the Shoman Foundation, while foreign institutions such as the French Cultural Center and the Spanish Agency for Cultural Cooperation assist in programming. The event also maintains ties with the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture and coordinates viewings alongside foreign gatherings, including France's Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival. These joint efforts allow Jordanian creators to connect directly with global cinematic practices.
How Jordan Short Film Festival is kept
Directors, amateur filmmakers, and cinema enthusiasts gather for scheduled screenings organised by the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative. Audiences watch curated selections of short films divided into Arab and international rosters, alongside special strands filmed on mobile phones or made by non-professionals. Juries evaluate entries to select winners for the Best Arab Film and Best Int'l Film awards, as well as citations for acting, writing, and cinematography. Outside the main festival schedule, organizers take film showings to towns and regional centres across Jordan, frequently staging collaborative screenings with foreign cultural centres and partner festivals.
When and where
The festival takes place on an annual cycle, accompanied by periodic screenings held throughout the year in different parts of Jordan. The precise dates of festival editions and touring showcases are scheduled by the organizing collective.
Amman serves as the festival's headquarters and primary setting. Screenings and collaborative events also travel beyond the capital city, showing in varied localities across Jordan in partnership with regional foundations and international cultural institutes.
Questions people ask about Jordan Short Film Festival
When is Jordan Short Film Festival kept?
Jordan Short Film Festival is kept on annually, with periodic screenings throughout the year.
What is the Jordan Short Film Festival?
It is an annual competitive film gathering based in Amman, Jordan. The event presents independent short films from Arab and international directors, functioning as Jordan's only nationally organized competitive festival of its kind.
Where and when does the festival take place?
The event is headquartered in Amman, Jordan, though it also runs screenings in other parts of the country throughout the year. The festival recurs annually under the direction of the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative.
Who organizes the event and how did it begin?
The Amman Filmmakers Cooperative manages the festival today. It started in 2004 as an initiative by director Hazim M. Bitar, beginning as a modest film week designed to showcase non-commercial Jordanian and Palestinian short productions.
What awards are presented at the festival?
The event features main competitions for Best Arab Film and Best Int'l Film. Juries also award special mentions for filmmaking crafts such as cinematography, scriptwriting, and performance, alongside side contests for amateur and mobile phone shorts.
See also
Eid il-BurbaraA winter feast of costumes, sweet boiled wheat, and sprouting seeds across the Levant
Eid al-FitrThe feast that ends Ramadan, opened with morning prayers, sweets and visits home
ZajalHalf-sung Arabic poetry in colloquial speech, traded as a duel between improvising poets
MizmarA traditional double-reed instrument and drum ensemble for weddings and folk dancesGood reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Jordan Short Film Festival", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.
More from Jordan
All the traditions of Jordan
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreEid al-Fitrعيد الفطر
The feast that ends Ramadan, opened with morning prayers, sweets and visits homeFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇱🇧 Beirut, Lebanon and 7 moreEid il-Burbaraعيد البربارة
A winter feast of costumes, sweet boiled wheat, and sprouting seeds across the LevantFestival · Feasts and festival meals
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreMizmarمزمار
A traditional double-reed instrument and drum ensemble for weddings and folk dancesPerformance
🇱🇧 Lebanon and 4 moreDabkeدبكة
A Levantine folk dance of linked lines and stomping steps, kept at weddings and community gatherings.Performance
The same idea elsewhere
All of this kind
🇮🇹 Rome, Italy and 4 moreChristmas
A festival of Jesus's birth, kept on 25 December with gifts, lights and shared mealsFestival
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreHalloween
An annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageFestival · Sweets given and shared
🇮🇹 Rome, Italy and 4 moreValentine's Day
A Christian feast day and cultural celebration of love kept on February 14 in many countries.Festival
🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreChristmas tree
A decorated evergreen or artificial tree placed indoors to mark the Christmas season.Festival