We were escaping the 100 degree weather today in BAM Rose Cinemas, watching "Captain Abu Raed," a selection from the Sundance Institute's annual local series of Festival favorites. The film won Jordanian-American filmmaker, Amin Matalqa, the world cinema audience award last January in Park City.

Amman, the capital and largest city in Jordan, provides a breathtaking backdrop for the highly enjoyable comic-drama.

The film does not yet have a U.S. distributor. Arab language films are few and far between here, though "Caramel," which opened in February, has made over $1 million at the box office, and "Paradise Now," from 2005, made $1.5.

Speaking of Jordan, you should know that I'm a queen.