Amman, 9 March 2021 - Held under the esteemed patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, in partnership with the Royal Film Commission – Jordan, and under the joint artistic direction of Ghada Saba, movie director and TV anchor, and Yara Abu Nimeh, young reporter at Roya TV, UN Women launched the 9th edition of the Women’s Film Week to commemorate International Women’s Day (8 March) under the global theme “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”. Since 2012, this initiative offers a unique opportunity for the public in Jordan to see and reflect on women’s issues, as portrayed through the work of various national and international filmmakers.

The opening ceremony took place yesterday (full recording of the Launch). In commemoration of the global Generation Equality campaign, the event began with the screening of a dedicated video on Jordan’s engagement in the development and implementation of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action, featuring a conversation between HRH Princess Basma bint Talal, who headed the Jordanian delegation at the 4th World Conference on Women in 1995, and Ranin Shaqildi, a young advocate and HeForShe volunteer.

Anders Pederson, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Jordan, said in his opening remarks: “Media professionals are important partners to amplify all women’s voices, especially those at risk of being left behind. It is important to sustain the momentum we are witnessing, to drive urgent action and commitment for women’s empowerment in the COVID-19 response and beyond. As United Nations, we will continue to support national partners in realizing this vision. We can all ‘act for equal’.”

Mohannad Al-Bakri, Managing Director of The Royal Film Commission, commented saying: “We are very proud of our partnership with UN Women, and we support any initiative that contributes to raise awareness of the role and status of women in the social, political, and cultural life and to eliminate any kind of discrimination against them. At the Royal Film Commission, we are keen to translate this stance and beliefs into actual deeds that will make a difference on the ground.” He added: “It is noteworthy that the participation of females in the audiovisual industry is greater than in other sectors and that the percentage of women working in the film and television sector in the Arab region is high compared to other countries in the world. It is also important to commend the extraordinary number of accomplished Jordanian women directors, producers, and artists, as well as the many careers affiliated with the industry in which we see a significant number of girls and women, whether in editing, sound engineering, make-up or fashion design.”

The event continued with a conversation moderated by Artistic Director Ghada Saba on women’s empowerment and leadership in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of professionals working in the media industry. In addition to Yara Abu Nimeh, the conversation featured the participation of the Jordanian artist Ahmad Srour and the Jordanian filmmaker Maysoon Habaidi.

“Despite current challenges, the 9th edition of Women's Film Week provided a platform to shed light on the efforts of women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women are filmmakers and they are also makers of peace and security. They show exemplary strengths and capacities vis a vis all challenges they face. The Women's Film Week is also one of the most important festivals solely devoted and specialized in presenting films on gender and women. Our sincere appreciation for this opportunity goes to HRH Princess Basma bint Talal, the Royal Film Commission and UN Women”, said Ghada Saba.

From 8 March 2021, online film screenings will take place at 7 pm on the Royal Film Commission’s social media platforms. In addition, special screenings will be organized throughout the week at UN Women’s Oasis Centers in the Azraq and Za’atari refugee camps. Movies and documentaries featured in this year’s edition were generously sponsored by the Embassies of Australia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada, Mexico, The Netherlands, Romania, Spain and Ukraine, as well as the Bahraini Supreme Council for Women and the Cervantes Institute. Official media sponsors of the event include Mazaj FM and “Donya ya Donya” (a program/show on Roya TV).

For media queries please contact:
Susan Al Hilo
UN Women Jordan Country Office
Tel: +962 790919680
Email: [email protected]
Shadi Nimri
The Royal Film Commission – Jordan
Tel: +962 797007711
Email: [email protected]