Princess Rym Ali, member of the Board of Commissioners of the Royal Film Commission (RFC), officially opened the South African Film Days at the RFC headquarters last Friday evening. The event was moderated by Ambassador Mohau Pheko, who came from South Africa for the cultural week. Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Jordan, Tselani Mokoena, used the occasion to present an authentic South African gift to Princess Rym..
In her opening remarks, Princess Rym expressed her delight at hosting the event, which is part of the Heritage Week celebrated by the South African Embassy in Jordan. She highlighted the deep cultural ties between the two nations and praised South African culture for its richness and diversity.
“It is also a culture reflecting what Archbishop Desmond Tutu called the rainbow nation, a nation of diversity and richness. One could go on to talk about South African culture. I'd rather leave that to the experts,” Princess Rym said.“But I do want to mention here the Ubuntu philosophy, which is a great part of South African culture and something of which I'm extremely fond personally because I believe it should be more widely taught and known for its emphasis on compassion, on empathy, on our interconnectedness as human beings. A much-needed approach today, don't you think?”
Princess Rym emphasized that cinema and culture cannot be separated from their environment, as they are shaped by the identity of their creators. She also commended South Africa for its longstanding support of the Palestinian cause.“South Africa has been steadfast in its support for Palestine, morally, politically, and legally, since the beginning of the war on Gaza. This support has included historic legal action against the Israeli occupation at the International Court of Justice and has been echoed by popular solidarity expressed through mass marches demanding an end to the war and genocide in Gaza,” she noted.
She further explained that South African culture, shaped by both its indigenous roots and colonial history as well as the years of apartheid, tells stories of resilience, trauma, and hope. Citing the 2005 Academy Award-winning film Tsotsi, she highlighted the country's contributions to global cinema.
Ambassador Mokoena expressed her gratitude to Princess Rym for sponsoring the event and noted the significance of the film days coinciding with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Jordan and South Africa. She praised King Abdullah II's recent speech at the United Nations regarding Gaza, calling it“profound,” and reaffirmed her embassy's commitment to strengthening cultural and creative ties between the two nations.
The ambassador also highlighted the economic and artistic impact of South Africa's film industry, which generates approximately 3.5 billion rand ($203 million), provides over 25,000 permanent jobs, and hosts international productions at modern studios in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. She noted ongoing negotiations for a cultural and creative industries cooperation agreement with Jordan, which will include visual arts and film production collaborations.
The opening ceremony concluded with a review of the films to be screened during the South African Film Days, followed by the inaugural screening of the comedy film The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island, directed by John Parker, with the producer Moroba Nkawe engaging with the viewers after the screening.

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