The Jordan Tourism Board was very pleased to welcome Pavel Lungin, a renowned Russian film director to Jordan during the second week of March. Accompanied by a well known journalist Gennady Josefavichus, Mr. Lungin toured several sites in Jordan with special focus on the Dead Sea, Bethany Beyond the Jordan and Petra. Lungin was nominated for the best Russian director's award in 2006 for his religious movie Ostrov "The Island". 

The film was nominated for awards in every category and was screened at the opening of the Kinotavr Festival of Russian Films and the closing of the Venice International Film Festival. Lungin also won the Cannes film festival’s special prize for direction in 1990 and the special prize for casting in 2000. He wrote scripts for more than ten Russian feature films. At least three major Russian publications are expected to cover the visit of the Russian celebrity to Jordan.