6TH EDITION OF WOMEN’S FILM WEEK COMMEMORATES POWERFUL STORIES OF WOMEN’S ACTIVISTS
The event was held under the esteemed patronage and at the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint TalalDate:
Amman, Jordan. Held under the esteemed patronage and at the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint Talal, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women), in partnership with the Royal Film Commission, launched the 6th edition of the Women Film Week to mark International Women’s Day under the global theme “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives”. Established in 2013, the Women’s Film Week represents a cultural festival on women’s rights and women’s empowerment, offering a unique opportunity for the Jordanian public to see and reflect on women’s issues as portrayed through the work of various national and international filmmakers.
“Cinema speaks a universal language understood by all. In showcasing powerful stories of ‘everyday’ women and men, Women’s Film Week brings strong messages of solidarity” said Mr. Ziad Sheikh, UN Women Jordan Country Representative.
In collaboration with the Women Metropolis Network, the launching event was held at the Galleria Ras El Ein of the Greater Amman Municipality at the presence of HE Dr. Yousef Shawarbeh, Mayor of the Greater Amman Municipality. The event also featured the participation of national and international directors and producers, in addition to Jordanian women’s rights activists and civil society organizations. The evening culminated with the presentation of the Canadian documentary ‘The Thinking Garden’ presented by its producer, Ms. Elizabeth Vibert.
“It’s worth noting that the percentage of female working in the audiovisual industry in the Arab world is relatively high, even compared to Western countries. Here in Jordan we have a remarkable number of successful women film makers, including directors, producers, actresses, camera operators and designers” affirmed Ms. Nada Doumani, Communication and Cultural Programming Manager at the Royal Film Commission.
From 15th to 18th March, the Women’s Film Week will open its door to the public with two daily screenings at the Rainbow Theater in Amman. Movies and documentaries featured in this year’s edition were generously sponsored by the Embassy of Canada, the Embassy of France and the French Institute in Jordan, the Embassy of the United States of America, and the Embassy of Brazil, in addition to national and international independent producers.
“Regardless of the role they play in the movies, women’s stories and voices create an emotional bound with the viewer and they can help breaking stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes which persist in our day to day life” concluded Ghada Saba, Artistic Director of the Film Week.
For all media inquiries, please contact:
Marta Garbarino
UN Women Partnerships and Advocacy Analyst
Tel: 0778484915
Susan Al Hilo
SDGs and Communication Specialist
Tel. 0790919680