OM2014 – Lamma Shoftak | When I Saw You

Annemarie Jacir is an independent filmmaker and screen-writer living in Jordan. Named one of Filmmaker magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Cinema, two of her films have premiered as Official Selections at the Cannes Film Festival, one as an Academy Award qualifier, and one in Venice. Her first feature film, Salt of this Sea, was Palestine’s Official Oscar Entry for Best Foreign Language Film and was also noted as the first feature film directed by a Palestinian woman. Salt of this Sea won the prestigious FIPRESCI Critic’s Prize, as well as Best Film in Milan, Best Film in Traverse City and

the Special Jury Prizes at both the Osians Asian & Arab Film Festival and Oran Festival of Arab Cinema.

Annemarie Jacir lived in Saudi Arabia until the age of sixteen, moving between Bethlehem and Riyadh. She then received her formal education in the United States. Her career in cinema began as an assistant on various sets, and learning to edit. She first worked in the film industry in Los Angeles and then as an editor and camerawoman before attending Columbia University in New York to obtain a MFA degree in Film. After years of shuttling back and forth between projects, Annemarie eventually returned to the Arab world.

Annemarie Jacir co-founded Philistine Films, an independent production company, focusing on productions related to the Arab world and has been involved in numerous productions. Jacir also shot and produced the documentary Until When, an in-depth portrait of the lives of several families living in the Deheisha refugee camp as well as several other films. She collaborated with Algerian-French filmmaker Nassim Amouache on A FEW CRUMBS FOR BIRDS, a documentary sketch of the lives of a handful of men and women eking out a living in the Jordanian town of Ruwayshed (Official Selection Venice International Film Festival, Best film Montpellier, Press prize Clermont Ferrand).

Annemarie teaches screenwriting and works as an editor as well as film curator, actively promoting independent cinema. In 2011, renown Chinese director Zhang Yimou selected her to be his first protégée as part of the Rolex Arts Initiative. LAMMA SHOFTAK is her second feature film. She lives in Amman.

Filmography
2012 – LAMMA SHOFTAK | When I Saw You
2008 – MILH HADHA AL-BAHR | Salt of this Sea
2006 – AN EXPLANATION: AND THEN BURN THE ASHES (short)
2005 – A FEW CRUMBS FOR BIRDS (short – doc) (co-director)
2003 – LIKE TWENTY IMPOSSIBLES (short)
2001 – A POST OSLO STORY (short)
2001 – THE SATELLITE SHOOTERS (short)