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Kathryn Bigelow
"The success of any movie filmed in Jordan ... is always a plus for our kingdom, for its economy, for its tourism as well as for its budding film industry," Princess Rym Ali, a senior member of the Royal Film Commission told AFP.
"Foreign films are a valuable learning opportunity for budding filmmakers ... it's a learning experience for those who come from outside to film in Jordan and plays an important role in helping foreigners get to know our people, the Middle East and appreciate who we are," she said in an interview.
Bigelow's movie was filmed in the capital Amman and other cities including Madaba which is known for its ancient mosaics, and impoverished Zarqa, home town of slain Al-Qaeda frontman in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
The critically acclaimed "Hurt Locker," about a US army bomb disposal unit in Baghdad, has emerged as a clear favorite after winning a string of awards ahead of Sunday's Oscars ceremony.
It is nominated for nine golden statuettes.
Princess Rym, a former CNN correspondent in Baghdad who is married to Prince Ali, a half-brother of Jordan's King Abdullah, said more movies are expected to be filmed in Jordan, following the commercial success of "The Hurt Locker."
"There are some productions planned, others are waiting to obtain funds for their films, still others are approaching us as we speak and have asked to visit Jordan," she said.
"So of course we always hope to attract more films but we also aim to expose our young filmmakers and see them do films here in Jordan. And we hope to see more Jordanians and Arab filmmakers using our country for their films."
Jordan is endowed with stunning natural beauty and has served as a backdrop for several Hollywood films, including David Lean's award-winning epic "Lawrence of Arabia" in 1962.
The centuries-old rose-red city of Petra in southern Jordan was portrayed in Steven Spielberg's 1989 "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."
More recent movies film in Jordan include Brian de Palma's 2007 "Redacted" and Nick Broomfield's "Battle for Haditha" in 2007.
Rym said Bigelow, who is widely expected to become the first woman in Oscars history to win the best director prize for her work on "The Hurt Locker," enjoyed her time in Jordan.
She quoted Bigelow as saying that "she loved her experience in Jordan as everybody was helpful," and that "she would love to go back and do another production there."
"I think mostly what we've been praised for in Jordan, is our high level of professionalism as well as the fact the bureaucratic hassles are reduced to a minimum," said Rym.
"The fact that some of our desert could be made to look like the Iraqi desert, and our towns like Iraqi towns, was crucial for the team of 'The Hurt Locker' and of many other films (like) 'Redacted' and 'Battle for Haditha'. We can boast of offering a stable environment."
Ordinary Jordanians also contributed to the making of "The Hurt Locker" by renting their houses or properties to the crew, said Rym.
She recalled how residents of one neighbourhood panicked when crew and extras dressed in US military uniforms were seen on their streets in a scene where explosions were set off.
The residents "got understandably nervous, wondering what on earth is happening," she said.
"But once they were informed and understood what was happening, they valiantly put up with the noise, for as long as it took to finish the shoots."
For the former journalist-turned-royal, all Iraq war movies bring back "sad memories."
"Some of the films have tried to show the events as seen by the Iraqis, but I would really like to see one day a high quality Arab production that tells Iraq’s story or stories from our perspective."
"There is still so much to say and so many people whose voices need to be heard on that too."
The Royal Film Commission, which is headed by Rym's husband Prince Ali, was set up in 2003 to promote the film industry and is listed as a "financially and administratively autonomous Jordanian government body."
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"Foreign films are a valuable learning opportunity for budding filmmakers ... it's a learning experience for those who come from outside to film in Jordan and plays an important role in helping foreigners get to know our people, the Middle East and appreciate who we are," she said in an interview.
Bigelow's movie was filmed in the capital Amman and other cities including Madaba which is known for its ancient mosaics, and impoverished Zarqa, home town of slain Al-Qaeda frontman in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
The critically acclaimed "Hurt Locker," about a US army bomb disposal unit in Baghdad, has emerged as a clear favorite after winning a string of awards ahead of Sunday's Oscars ceremony.
It is nominated for nine golden statuettes.
Princess Rym, a former CNN correspondent in Baghdad who is married to Prince Ali, a half-brother of Jordan's King Abdullah, said more movies are expected to be filmed in Jordan, following the commercial success of "The Hurt Locker."
"There are some productions planned, others are waiting to obtain funds for their films, still others are approaching us as we speak and have asked to visit Jordan," she said.
"So of course we always hope to attract more films but we also aim to expose our young filmmakers and see them do films here in Jordan. And we hope to see more Jordanians and Arab filmmakers using our country for their films."
Jordan is endowed with stunning natural beauty and has served as a backdrop for several Hollywood films, including David Lean's award-winning epic "Lawrence of Arabia" in 1962.
The centuries-old rose-red city of Petra in southern Jordan was portrayed in Steven Spielberg's 1989 "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."
More recent movies film in Jordan include Brian de Palma's 2007 "Redacted" and Nick Broomfield's "Battle for Haditha" in 2007.
Rym said Bigelow, who is widely expected to become the first woman in Oscars history to win the best director prize for her work on "The Hurt Locker," enjoyed her time in Jordan.
She quoted Bigelow as saying that "she loved her experience in Jordan as everybody was helpful," and that "she would love to go back and do another production there."
"I think mostly what we've been praised for in Jordan, is our high level of professionalism as well as the fact the bureaucratic hassles are reduced to a minimum," said Rym.
"The fact that some of our desert could be made to look like the Iraqi desert, and our towns like Iraqi towns, was crucial for the team of 'The Hurt Locker' and of many other films (like) 'Redacted' and 'Battle for Haditha'. We can boast of offering a stable environment."
Ordinary Jordanians also contributed to the making of "The Hurt Locker" by renting their houses or properties to the crew, said Rym.
She recalled how residents of one neighbourhood panicked when crew and extras dressed in US military uniforms were seen on their streets in a scene where explosions were set off.
The residents "got understandably nervous, wondering what on earth is happening," she said.
"But once they were informed and understood what was happening, they valiantly put up with the noise, for as long as it took to finish the shoots."
For the former journalist-turned-royal, all Iraq war movies bring back "sad memories."
"Some of the films have tried to show the events as seen by the Iraqis, but I would really like to see one day a high quality Arab production that tells Iraq’s story or stories from our perspective."
"There is still so much to say and so many people whose voices need to be heard on that too."
The Royal Film Commission, which is headed by Rym's husband Prince Ali, was set up in 2003 to promote the film industry and is listed as a "financially and administratively autonomous Jordanian government body."
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