INTRODUCING THE COOPERATIVE

Founded in 2002 by Hazim Bitar as a cine club, The Amman Filmmakers Cooperative (AFC) began as a social network of cinema lovers. In 2003, the cooperative started offering filmmaking workshop and production support to indie filmmakers. The Cooperative is a not-for-profit cultural initiative and talent incubator which seeks to promote independent Jordanian and Palestinian Diaspora filmmaking through training, experimentation, and networking. The Cooperative is a second chance for persons who never had the chance to learn filmmaking through formal education.

Our primary focus is on disadvantaged communities, such as refugee camps and remote villages, and those who are interested in telling their stories.

We view cinema as a powerful tool for self-expression and an effective medium for intercultural communication and for building bridges.

Since 2003, AFC filmmakers who graduated from the cooperative's educational programs have completed over 50 short films. Many of those films have been selected to world-class film festivals such as Academy-certified Huesca International Film Festival, Spain; Academy-certified Tampere International Short Film Festival, Finland; Academy-certified Seagate-Foyle International Film Festival, Northern Ireland, Academy-certified Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland and a host of other regional film festivals such as Dubai International Film Festival, Ismailia Film Festival, Tangier Film Festival, Carthage Film Festival, Dubai Film Festival and more. Many of our films have received critical acclaim and won various prizes.

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Updated: October 11, 2008