The Minister of Culture, His Excellency Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, sponsored the closing events and awards ceremony of the Middle East University Short Film Festival. The ceremony was attended by the president of the university, Professor Salam Al-Mahadin, alongside a distinguished cohort of artists, directors, producers, and media professionals, in addition to members of the academic and administrative staff and university students.
In an address delivered during the ceremony, which was hosted by prominent media professional Prof. Hani Al-Badri, Al-Rawashdeh emphasised that short films represent one of the most potent forms of visual expression, capable of reaching audiences and shaping consciousness. This potency, he noted, stems from their narrative density and unique capacity to epitomise complex ideas, humanitarian themes, and national issues using contemporary artistic language. Furthermore, the minister highlighted the vital importance of leveraging art and cinema to bolster the Jordanian narrative and showcase the nation’s journey, achievements, and cultural identity. In this manner, the creative sector can effectively transmit Jordan’s values and history to both the younger generations and the wider global community through an impactful, cross-border creative medium.
Echoing these sentiments, the Dean of the Faculty of Media, Dr Ramez Abu Hasira, noted in his opening address that the rapid transformations within the media and content creation sectors mean true value now lies in possessing a clear vision and the capacity to generate meaning. He strictly emphasised that visual storytelling has emerged as one of the most critical tools for understanding and influencing the modern world.
The culmination of the festival witnessed the official announcement of the competition results. The award for Best Film was claimed by the Yarmouk University production “Kifak Enta” (How Are You?), by directors Jana Al-Hawarin and Anas Al-Khalayleh. Meanwhile, the Best Cinematography award was awarded jointly to “In the Bag Are a Fisherman’s Tales” from Petra University (directed by Omar Abu Eid and Hamza Al-Bastanji) and “The Noise of Silence” from the Applied Science Private University (directed by Abdullah Bassem and Malath Moati).
In the other technical categories, the film “One Last Question” from Zarqa University, directed by Mohammad Al-Tamimi and Ayham Al-Amm, secured the Best Editing award. Concurrently, Middle East University student Alaa Abu Kishk won the Best Director award for her film, “The Divorce”.
Ultimately, this festival reflects Middle East University’s commitment to consolidating the role of visual storytelling as an essential cultural and intellectual instrument that actively contributes to raising awareness and generating social impact.