Amman Filmmakers Cooperative

Amman Filmmakers Cooperative
Founder(s)	Hazim Bitar
Established	2002
Location	Amman, Jordan
Website	http://jordanianfilms.com

The Amman Filmmakers Cooperative ^[1](تعاونية عمان للأفلام) (Arabic) promotes independent Jordanian and Palestinian Diaspora filmmaking through training, experimentation, and networking. The Cooperative seeks to empower student filmmakers to produce films using very nominal resources and with the help of digital filmmaking tools. The Cooperative also manages the Jordan Short Film Festival,^[2] an art film festival established in 2004.

Overview

Founded in 2002 by Palestinian diaspora filmmaker Hazim M. Bitar, The Amman Filmmakers Cooperative (AFC) began as a social network^[3] of cinema aficionados in Jordan. In 2003, the Cooperative started offering free filmmaking workshops and production support to independent filmmakers.

Highlights

Since 2003, Cooperative graduates completed over 50 short films.^[4] Cooperative graduates boast the highest film festival selection rates in the history of Jordanian cinema. Many of those films have been selected to Academy-Certified film festivals as well as other regional film festivals such as :-

• The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France
• Huesca International Film Festival, Spain
• Tampere International Short Film Festival, Finland
• Foyle International Film Festival, Northern Ireland
• Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerlandand
• Middle East International Film Festival,^[5]
• Dubai International Film Festival,^[6] UAE;
• Ismailia International Film Festival,^[7] Egypt;
• The Short Mediterranean Film Festival of Tangier,^[8] Morocco;
• Carthage Film Festival,^[9] Tunisia;
• Dubai Film Festival, UAE.

^[10] The list of Academy-Certified film festivals ^[11] selections includes the films The View,^[12] Sharar,^[13] Growing Up in Amman Suburbia.^[14] Feature film scripts by its workshop graduates have been selected as finalists in renowned script competitions such as the Film Finance Circle^[15] and The Locarno International Film Festival - Open Doors.^[16][17]

Community Initiatives

In 2007 the Cooperative and the Spanish Embassy in Jordan worked together to launch Hope Films, a project that organizes workshops for disadvantaged Jordanian communities including Palestinian refugee camps.^[18] and the Jordan Short Film Festival

Educational Approach

The instructors are industry professionals with a proven track record in the field of filmmaking. Guest instructors are invited to shed light on specialized topics. Using commercially available multimedia editing software and video production hardware, the students learn how to produce films within limited budgets. To sustain the activity of workshop graduates, the Cooperative, in partnership with local NGOs, establishes small production units to allow students to continue their filmmaking activities after workshop completion.

External links

• The Amman Filmmakers Cooperative website
• The Jordan Short Film Festival website
• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - Certified Film Festivals
• The Abdulhameed Shoman Foundation website
• Middle East International Film Festival Awards $75,000 to Cooperative Short Film The View
• Experimental Documentary Growing Up in Amman Suburbia Wins Special Mention for Best Documentary at Magma Film Festival
• Oscar-certified Foyle Film Festival Selects Growing Up in Amman
• Toyota and The Amman Filmmakers Cooperative Launch Mobile Movie Competition
• Cooperative Founder on Panel Discussion Moderated by Swiss Federation President Discussing Youth and Cinema
• Palestinian Cinema Guide

References