The Amman International Film Festival has returned for the third time — but Jordan’s premier cinematic event is still all about firsts.
Debut films by Arab and international talents make up the core of the festival’s programming. This has been a focus and a distinctive characteristic of the event since its inception in 2020. However, as the festival emerges from the challenges of the pandemic, it breaks free from the restrictions that hampered previous years to deliver a charged and bustling programme.
It started on Wednesday and runs until July 27; the festival will be screening 49 films, most of which are led by first-time directors. The programme includes recent international festival favourites such as Darin J Sallam’s Farha and Al Hadi Ulad-Mohand’s Life Suits Me Well, alongside a range of fresh documentary and narrative titles.
The festival launched with a ceremony at Al-Hussein Cultural Centre in Ras Al Ain. More than 100 filmmakers, actors, producers and industry professionals from around the region flew in for the event. Stars on the red carpet included Lebanese actor and writer George Khabbaz, Tunisian actor Dhafer L’Abidine, Jordanian actress Saba Mubarak, AlRawabi School for Girls stars Noor Taher and Rakeen Saad and Lebanese actress Carmen Lebbos. Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and his wife, Princess Rym al-Ali, the festival’s president, were also present.
“Third time lucky they say,” Princess Rym said in her opening speech. “We are indeed very fortunate to have received the immense support that has made this festival not only exist but also grow.”
“This year’s films are diverse and tackle different topics, I will not go into their details, but I would like to refer here to a saying by the famous French-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godord: ‘Every film is the result of the society that produced it.’ During the seven days of the festival, we will witness a confirmation of this saying especially through the eyes of the Arab filmmakers. May the festival begin!”
The festival opened with Peace by Chocolate. The debut feature of Canadian filmmaker Jonathan Keijser, the film tells the story of a Syrian refugee in a small Canadian town who is caught between his desire to pursue a medical career and his chocolatier father’s expectation to help in the family business.
The film stars the late Syrian director and actor Hatem Ali in one of his final performances.
While the opening film screened at Al-Hussein Cultural Centre, the rest of the films in the festival’s program will be showing at three locations: the open-air theatre at the Royal Film Commission — Jordan in Jabal Amman, as well as Taj Cinemas in Abdoun and Drive-in Cinema in the Abdali District, specially built for the festival. Most screenings are followed by a discussion with the filmmakers.
For the second consecutive year, the festival is hosting the special non-competitive section Franco-Arab Rendez-Vous. Four French-Arab co-productions will be screening as part of the festival, including Bonne Mere, The River, You Resemble Me, and Mariner of the Mountains.
The festival will also host the renowned Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah in the First and Latest segment, highlighting his journey from his debut film Summer Thefts to his most recent works.
The Amman Film Industry Days launched in tandem with the festival, presenting a series of workshops, seminars and discussions with directors and film professionals. The segment also provides three pitching platforms for Jordanian and Arab projects in development or post-production. An independent jury will select the winning projects to receive cash and in-kind awards. The winners will be announced in a ceremony on July 26.
The festival will conclude with the Black Iris Awards ceremony. Three juries, made up of international film experts, will select the winning titles in categories including Arab feature-length narrative, Arab feature-length documentary and Arab short narrative.
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
More on animal trafficking
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How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
The specs
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
