Sharjah International Film Festival Celebrates Creativity, Human Experience

SHARJAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 19th Sep, 2025) FANN Media Discovery Platform has announced the 12th Edition of Sharjah International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFF) will be from 6th to 11th October at VOX Cinemas in City Centre Al Zahia.

The event will be held under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and the support of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of H.H. the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs.

Taking place at VOX Cinemas in City Centre Al Zahia, the event serves as an innovative platform to bring together filmmakers and creative minds from around the world, celebrating their work and enabling them to showcase their films to a diverse audience.

This year’s edition promises a strong lineup of 76 films chosen from 1,740 submissions representing 26 countries, including Saudi Arabia, France, Iran, Indonesia, Bahrain, Russia, India, and the Netherlands, as well as São Tomé and Príncipe, Ecuador, and Belize, which are participating for the first time.

FANN is also launching the Global Children & Youth Film Congress, which will highlight cinema’s role in shaping the consciousness of Arab youth, discuss Arab cinema’s opportunities and challenges, and explore ways to promote meaningful storytelling and support the next generation of talent.

H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, General-Director of FANN and SIFF, highlighted how the festival has grown into an inspiring creative space that empowers filmmakers and highlights their key role in developing the local cultural and artistic scene, thanks to the guidance of the Ruler of Sharjah and the support of Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi.

"At FANN, we believe in the power of cinema as a universal language that unites people and an important medium for instilling noble values in children and youth, in addition to entertainment. SIFF embodies this vision, empowering creators to share their experiences and creative work with audiences.

We remain committed to establishing a new generation of filmmakers, capable of expressing their ideas and addressing social issues," she said.

This year, the Green Carpet will premiere three films in the middle East. The first is Wip Vernooij and Vincent Bal’s Dutch film Miss Moxy. A Korean film directed by Suryeon Jung will also be featured, while the third is Sarah Talab’s Saudi film Hajeer.

The festival’s jury features 16 renowned directors and industry experts, including the Syrian actress Yara Sabri, Emirati media figure Mohamed Rashid Al Salami; Kuwaiti director Dawood Sulaiman Al-Shuail, Head of the Youth Cinema and Television Department at the Youth Public Authority; the South Korean director Jae Hoon Ahn; and South Korean filmmaker and multimedia artist Ram Lee (Hyunjung Lee). Joining them are Sang-Young Lee, a prominent film critic, and Salah Al-Hadrami, an Omani filmmaker specialising in documentaries and features.

The juries also include animation director Enas Yacoub, Secretary-General of Animation Arts for Children's Media at the General Union for Arab Producers, along with Bahraini media figure and film critic Tariq Al-Bahar, Head of Variety and Culture at Al Bilad Press. They are joined by Dan Bennett, Founder and Director of the Los Angeles and San Diego International Children's Film Festivals, and filmmaker Mohannad Abu Rizk, who achieved over 500 billion views across different platforms.

The jury also welcomes Award-winning Emirati director and producer Rawya Abdullah; along with film and video game director Philip Hilsland; director, screenwriter, and tv presenter Maitha Al Awadhi; Iraqi writer, director, and film critic Erfan Rashid; and Hakim Belabbas, a director, screenwriter, and producer known for his poetic and emotional productions, which blend documentary with fictional work.

On the sidelines, SIFF Pop-Up will be hosted in Sharjah Research Technology & Innovation Park. It features a series of activations and workshops aiming to hone the skills of young talents and promote their cinema production potential.