Cinema designed for young refugees opens in Jordan's Zaatari camp - in pictures

The movie-house offers free screenings targeted towards younger viewers

People and security forces gather at the entrance of the Cinema Zaatari in the Jordanian Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees. AFP

The opening ceremony of the cinema in the camp, which is about 80 kilometres north of the Jordanian capital Amman. AFP

French ambassador to Jordan, David Bertolotti, arrives to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Cinema Zaatari. AFP

Princess Reem Ibrahimi, wife of the Jordanian monarch's half brother Prince Ali, who represents the Board of Commissioners at the Royal Film Commission, is pictured during the opening ceremony. AFP

Ambassador Bertolotti attends the inauguration ceremony of the Cinema Zaatari. AFP

Bertolotti, left, and Princess Reem, right, at the opening ceremony. AFP

Children eat popcorn as they await the screening of a film at the Cinema Zaatari. AFP

The building of the 110-seat Cinema Zaatari. AFP

Johanna Colbec, co-founder of the Cinema Zaatari, and French film director and producer, Xavier Giannoli (behind), during the opening ceremony. AFP

People watch the screening of a film at the Cinema Zaatari. AFP

Giannoli, co-founder of the Cinema Zaatari, during the opening ceremony. AFP

A man distributes refreshments before the screening of a film. AFP

People watch the screening of a film at the Cinema Zaatari. AFP

The lights are ready, the cameras are on, and now it's action time for Cinema Zaatari.

The picture house has opened its doors in Jordan's Zaatari camp, offering refugees a "window to the world" with free screenings of films and documentaries.

The cinema, which is located in the world's largest camp for Syrian refugees around 80 kilometres from Amman, is the first permanent movie-house for Zaatari residents.

It was officially opened this week, with the inauguration attended by David Bertolotti, the French Ambassador to Jordan, and Princess Rym Ali, wife of Prince Ali bin Hussein of Jordan.

The 120-seat cinema opened its doors on June 23, and will offer daily screenings of family friendly international and regional movies, documentary films, animations and more, according to its website, as well as host cultural events and talks.

The cinema describes itself as "a welcoming space as an answer to the violence and madness of the world".

Cinema Zaatari is supported by the Lumiere a Zaatari non-profit foundation in Paris, which was set up in 2017 after a film crew visited the camp. French film director and producer Xavier Giannoli, co-founder of the cinema, decided to raise funds for the project.

"What we saw there moved us deeply and we felt compelled to do something," the cinema's website details. "We wanted to leave something behind after we had gone. We didn't want to leave and then forget."

The project was realised thanks to funds raised by donors, as well as support from Unicef and film production society Imaginarium Films.