Fifth Edition of the Jordan Children and Youth Film Festival Concludes with Announcement of Winning Films

Amman, August 21, 2026 - Under the patronage and in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Jalila bint Ali, the Jordan Children and Youth Film Festival, organized by the Royal Film Commission – Jordan, concluded its fifth edition on Thursday, August 20, with the jury announcing the winning films. UNICEF also presented its Special Child Rights Award for the third consecutive year.

Over seven days, the festival screened a diverse selection of films aimed at children and youth. Of approximately 100 films submitted for consideration, the selection included 13 feature films—eight live-action films and five animated films—as well as 12 short films from 13 countries, including eight live-action films, three animated films, and one hybrid film. All were recent productions, most of which had received international awards.

During the festival, nearly 4,000 people attended screenings held across the Kingdom, followed by engaging discussions with cinema professionals. These discussions gave children the opportunity to express their opinions and participate in meaningful conversations, making their experience go beyond simply watching films.

The festival awards were presented by two juries: the Adult Jury and the Children and Youth Jury. The Adult Jury, comprising audiovisual specialists—film critic Rania Haddad, veteran artist Rania Fahd Al-Qahoush, and director Mohammad Al-Rahahleh—awarded the Best Feature Film prize jointly to the Croatian film Paulina P.’s Second Diary, directed by Neven Hitrec, and the Chinese film Where the Sun Shines, directed by Lam Kan-Chao.

The Best Short Film award went to the Greek film Christmas in Autumn, directed by Kostas Bakouris. The jury also awarded a Special Mention for Storytelling to the Canadian animated feature The Time Travelers: The Silk Road, and a Special Mention for Editing to the Indian live-action feature To Fetch a Pail of Water, in recognition of its editing style. In the short-film category, a Special Mention went to the Uzbek short film Lantern.

It is worth noting that the awards were received by representatives of the embassies and cultural centers of the countries whose films received awards.

In its closing statement, the jury said: “The jury of the Jordan Children and Youth Film Festival held twelve meetings, resulting unanimously in the festival awards and a number of recommendations to the festival management.”

Among the jury’s recommendations was the allocation of production grants for Jordanian short films specifically aimed at children and youth in terms of their ideas and content. The jury also recommended that the grant committee include specialists in children’s literature and children’s rights, as well as filmmakers with experience in children’s and youth cinema.

In this context, Mahand Al-Bakri, Managing Director of the Royal Film Commission – Jordan, said: “One of the main objectives of organizing this festival is to encourage Jordanian and Arab filmmakers to produce cinematic projects aimed at children and youth. We hope to see more of these films at the festival in the coming years.”

For the third consecutive year, the UNICEF Special Child Rights Award returned to the festival. It was awarded to the Saudi short film The Gift: Hala’s Grant, directed by Bahraini filmmaker Enas Yacoub and produced by Shahid, a platform affiliated with the MBC Group. The director received the award during the closing ceremony.

“Cinema can open up new worlds for children and youth, giving them space to imagine, express themselves, and share their stories. UNICEF is proud to continue its partnership with the Royal Film Commission – Jordan and build on our longstanding cooperation to provide children across Jordan with cinematic and creative opportunities, including at Zaatari Camp Cinema. The Jordan Children and Youth Film Festival is an important part of this effort, ensuring that more children have the opportunity to experience the power of storytelling, participate in cultural life, and make their voices heard,” said Mark Robins, UNICEF Representative in Jordan.

The Children’s Jury consisted of Ramzi Al-Atiyat and Israa Abu Rumman, participants in the Royal Film Commission’s “Cinema in Schools” program; Samar Aqabawi and Karim Al-Hamad, nominated by the Zaha Cultural Center; and Ahmad Zaiter, nominated by UNICEF.

After watching, discussing, and evaluating the participating short films based on their ideas, storytelling, and ability to reach and impact children and youth, the jury selected the Saudi film The Gift: Hala’s Grant as the winner of the Best Short Film award. The jury praised the film for presenting its idea in a clear and accessible way for children and youth, addressing an important issue that touches on their lives and experiences—namely, the impact of bullying and how to deal with the challenges it creates. The jury also highlighted the coherent progression of events, the film’s effective communication of its message to different age groups, and its outstanding voice performances.

The jury also decided to award a Special Mention to the Omani animated short film Star Catcher, in recognition of its appealing concept, its relevance to the interests of the current generation, and its distinctive attempt to raise a subject worthy of reflection and discussion.

The Children’s Jury congratulated the filmmakers of both films and thanked all the participating films for giving its members the opportunity to experience diverse stories and perspectives and to freely express their opinions and choices.

The new award introduced by the Royal Film Commission – Jordan for the development of a short-film screenplay was jointly awarded to two outstanding projects: A Goodly Loan by Rama Ayasrah and The Secret of the Poppy by Ibrahim Abu Hammad. The projects were recognized for the strength of their ideas, their reflection of local culture, and their authentic exploration of the world of children and youth.

The audience also played a role in selecting its favorite film, voting for the Russian film Heroes, directed by Alexander Lutkevich, to receive the Audience Award for Best Feature Film.

The festival also featured a range of film- and storytelling-related workshops and activities, introducing children to the art of filmmaking, acting in front of the camera, makeup, and special effects.

To reach the largest possible number of children and give them the opportunity to attend festival activities, screenings and workshops were organized at the film centers operated by the Royal Film Commission – Jordan in Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Wadi Musa, Irbid, and Salt. Screenings were also held in several other governorates, including Madaba, Al-Ramtha, Mafraq, Ma’an, and Tafileh, organized by Zaha Cultural Centers. Additional screenings were held at Zaatari Cinema inside Zaatari Camp, jointly organized by UNICEF and the Royal Film Commission – Jordan, allowing Syrian refugee children to enjoy the films and take part in the festival experience.