AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday
inaugurated Olivewood Film Studios, Jordan’s first specialized studio complex
for filmmaking, on the 20th anniversary of the Royal Film Commission (RFC), according to a Royal Court statement.
اضافة اعلان
King Abdullah toured the studios, which
were built on an area of 47 dunums in Mugabalein area and include two sound
stages with an area of 1,500 square meters each, a workshop for carpentry,
ironwork, wardrobe, and graphics, as well as administrative offices, and
supporting facilities and production offices.
During the tour—on which His Majesty was
accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Hussein,
Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, and Princess Rym Ali—the King stopped at a location
of a television series shoot and spoke with a number of Jordanian filmmakers
there.
His Majesty also attended a ceremony held
by the RFC to mark its 20th anniversary.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prince Ali,
chairman of the RFC’s Board of Commissioners, noted the commission’s role in
transforming Jordan into a regional filmmaking hub, with the support of public
and military institutions, in line with His Majesty’s vision.
His Royal Highness added that several
factors collectively contributed to qualifying Jordan to become a major
international filming destination, namely its diverse landscapes, the provision
of technical and logistical support by the RFC, and the pool of Jordanian
talent.
Also speaking at the ceremony, RFC
Managing Director Mohannad Al Bakri highlighted the commission’s achievements
over the past two decades, including the production of 31 Jordanian films and
six others with international partners, as well as facilitating the production
of 112 foreign films and 29 international series in Jordan, on which Jordanians
worked alongside some of the world’s most renowned filmmakers.
Spending on the film industry in Jordan
has reached $519 million (about JD368 million), according to Bakri, who noted
that investing in the film sector is in line with Jordan’s Economic
Modernization Vision (EMV), adding that the RFC’s Jordan Film Fund has provided
support for more than 150 feature-length and short films.
Bakri added that the RFC facilitated
employment opportunities for about 134,000 people on various productions in
Jordan and engaged more than 5,695 trainees in educational programs related to
filmmaking around the Kingdom.
For his part, Olivewood Film Studios
Chairman Raja Gargour said the establishment of the studios is in line with the
goals of the EMV under the creative industries sector, adding that they are the
first filmmaking facilities of their kind in the Kingdom that are up to
international standards.
Gargour added that work is underway to set
up a 67-dunum backlot for outdoor filming in Madaba Governorate’s Manja area.
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