Marrakech — Moroccan artist Qods Joundoul was awarded Best Actress for her role in the play “Jidar – The Light Reflects More Deeply” at the 20th International Free Theater Festival, which concluded Friday evening in Amman.
The jury also awarded the Silver Prize for Best Play to Jidar, directed by Yassine Ahjam and starring Joundoul alongside Amine Boudrika and Reda Benaïm.
The play uses poetic and symbolic dramatic writing to explore the psychological dimensions of its characters.
It shines a light on the paradoxes of internal conflict, revealing a complex world of fear, hope, loss, and a yearning for communication and the breaking of boundaries.
The scenography, created by Yassine Ezzaoui, centers on a wall (Jidar) as a mirror of the psychological and social tensions faced by the characters.
Dark lighting and symbolic colors contributed to expressing a state of constrained dreaming and renewed hope, transforming the stage into a space of deep visual and aesthetic interaction.
Elsewhere in the competition, Tunisian director Tahar Issa Ben Arbi won Best Director for the play Lamoudha, while Jordanian production Hammam Al Hana, directed by Hicham Souidan, received the Bronze Prize.
The Jury Prize went to The Tempest, directed by Omani Odai Al-Shanfari.
Syrian actor Hussam Al Shah won Best Actor for his role in the play “970*970,” directed by Zein Tayar. The Tunisian play Lamoudha also received the award for Best Scenography.
The international jury, presided over by writer Hazzaa Al Barari, included Areen Omari from Palestine, Soha Salem from Iraq, Salvatore Pitonti from Italy, and Tayssir Idriss from Syria.
The festival also featured a youth workshop titled “The Fundamental Principles of Interactive Theater” and paid tribute to Emirati artist Mohamed Saif Al Afkham, playwright Ismail Abdullah, and Jordanian artist Mohamed Al Dhamour.
