SHARJAH (WAM)
Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah's Department of Government Relations, officially inaugurated the 13th edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF) on Sunday evening.
Organised by FANN – Media Discovery Platform, the festival is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of the Sharjah Family and Community Council.
The opening ceremony was attended by Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Authority; Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director-General of Rubu' Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators and Director of SIFF, alongside leading actors, directors, filmmakers, industry professionals and festival guests from the UAE and around the world.
Held at the University of the Arts in Sharjah, the ceremony celebrated Italy as this year's Guest of Honour, recognising its rich cinematic and cultural heritage and its contribution to filmmaking. The programme introduces young audiences to Italian cinema and storytelling while encouraging creative exchange between the UAE and Italy.
Running until November 1, 2026, the festival features 71 films from 38 countries in its official competition, alongside eight out-of-competition screenings. The selection was made from 1,802 submissions received from 72 countries.
Brunei, Burkina Faso and Mauritania are participating for the first time, while Egypt, France, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and India account for the highest number of selected films, reflecting the diversity of entries and the festival's growing international reach. Screenings are taking place at VOX Cinemas in City Centre Al Zahia and the House of Wisdom.
Huda Ahmed Al Harmoudi, Deputy Director of FANN, spoke about the festival's 13-year commitment to supporting children's dreams and giving young people a voice.
Drawing inspiration from the life of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, she highlighted the importance of imagination and storytelling in discovering and developing talent, stressing that every young talent needs someone who protects them, believes in them and allows them to express themselves.
She said: “Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi has always seen children and young people as partners, believing that their opinions deserve to be heard and their voices deserve a platform.
This belief continues to guide FANN in creating opportunities for children and youth to explore media and cinema. Under Sheikha Jawaher's patronage, the festival has grown year after year into an event that filmmakers from around the world look forward to.”
She added: “This year, we celebrate different cultures and ways of storytelling, while giving young people the opportunity to watch, analyse and evaluate films through the Promising Jurors Programme. We also welcome our Festival Ambassadors, brought together by their shared passion for cinema.”
Al Harmoudi encouraged children and young people to believe in their ideas and have the confidence to tell their stories in their own way.
The opening ceremony honoured prominent figures from Arab and Gulf cinema alongside emerging talents, recognising their artistic contributions and achievements.
Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid Al Qasimi, accompanied by Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, presented the Lifetime Achievement Awards to Emirati actor Habib Ghuloom, representing the UAE; Kuwaiti actor Mohammed Al Mansour, representing the GCC; and Syrian actress Mona Wassef, representing the Middle East.
The Youth Awards were presented to Emirati actor Ahmed Al Mazem for the UAE, actor Nasser Al Dosari for the GCC, and actors Ali El Beialy and Retal Abdulaziz for the Middle East.
Speaking at the ceremony, Emirati actor Ahmed Al Mazem expressed his happiness at receiving the UAE Youth Award and recalled attending the festival's first edition in 2013, when he was just 12 years old.
He said: “For me, the festival was never just a film event. It was a dream I watched come to life, and to this day, I consider it my second home. Receiving this award means a great deal to me and motivates me to continue telling meaningful stories that reflect our identity and values as Emiratis.
I encourage every Emirati artist to keep our traditions, customs and roots alive in every story they tell and every project they create. This is the identity we are proud of, and it is what gives our work its character and value.”
Egyptian actor Ali El Beialy also reflected on his journey, which began on a school stage at the age of six and later led to roles in television productions shown on international platforms. He stressed the importance of encouraging children and young people to discover their talents and develop their skills.
The opening ceremony also featured the world premiere of Mangrove House, directed by Emirati filmmaker Khalid Al Mahmood. The film follows a group of young siblings who try to sell the fish they have caught, using music to attract customers and encourage them to buy.
The festival introduced the jury members for its 13th edition, bringing together filmmakers, directors, academics and media professionals from the UAE, the region and internationally to judge the films competing across its various categories.
The Arabic Short Film Competition jury will include Emirati filmmaker Waleed Al Shehhi, Dr Nashwa Al Ruwaini, and Hani Al Mulla, CEO of the Saudi Cinema Association and the Saudi Film Festival.
The International Short Film Competition will be judged by Giulio Vita, founder and Artistic Director of La Guarimba International Film Festival, filmmaker and screenwriter Layaly Badr, and journalist and editor Ghassan Abdullah Kharroub.
The Short and Feature Animation Film Competitions will be evaluated by Ji-hoon Choi, Programme Team Director at the Busan International Kids and Youth Film Festival, filmmaker and director Abbas Yousefi, and filmmaker and animator Donato Di Carlo.
For the Documentary Film Competition, the jury will include filmmaker and director Rosh Abdelfattah, Surabhi Sharma, and Sara Al Mehairi.
The Student Short Animation and Student Short Film Competitions will be judged by filmmaker and writer Dr Bahaa Al-Kadhimi, creative consultant Fadi Haddad, and immersive media filmmaker and artist Sohail Dahdal.
Meanwhile, the Feature Film Competition jury will bring together writer and director Darin J. Sallam, Emirati screenwriter and producer Sara Al Sayegh, and Matthew Carey.
SIFF continues to involve children and young people directly in film evaluation through its Promising Jurors Programme, designed for cinema enthusiasts aged 12 to 20.
The programme offers interactive sessions on film criticism, analysis and the judging process, allowing participants to apply what they have learned by evaluating entries in the Child and Youth-Made Films competition.
The Festival Ambassadors Programme also allows former Promising Jurors to build on their experience, connect with their peers and encourage more young people to take part in the festival's activities.
This year's programme also includes three Green Carpet screenings featuring films from Thailand, Italy, Austria and Germany, exploring themes of adventure, friendship, belonging and human relationships.
The screenings begin with the Thai film Gohan on October 29, followed by the Italian film Forever With You on October 30.
The Green Carpet programme will conclude on October 31 with the Austrian-German animated film Monster Mia, offering audiences the chance to discover different cinematic styles and storytelling traditions from around the world.