“Fan” opens the ninth session of the Sharjah International Film Festival

Under the patronage of the wife of His Highness the Sovereign of Sharjah, His Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, the emirate will experience 6 days of cinematic creativity accompanied by a selection of international pioneers at Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2022, whose ninth session kicked off Monday evening, at the Jewels Center for Events and Conferences with the Middle East premiere of Korean director Ji-Won Lee’s feature “Children are Fine”.
The festival was inaugurated by Sheikh Saud bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Digital Office, in the presence of Sheikh Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director of the Fun Foundation and Director of the Festival. The inauguration was attended by Emirati director Fadel Al Muhairi, Syrian actress Rasha Rizk, British actress Dixie Ijrix, Egyptian actor Ashraf Zaki, Egyptian actress Rogina, Omani actress Buthaina Al Raisi, Syrian actor Abed Fahd, Egyptian actor Ahmed Zaher, Egyptian actress Laila Ahmed Zaher and Egyptian entrepreneur Hoda Farouk, and a group of artists, directors and film industry workers from the UAE and the world.
This year’s edition will show 95 films from 43 countries in three fixed locations: Al Jawaher Center for Events and Conferences, “Vox Cinemas” in the “City Center Al Zahia” in Sharjah and “Mirdif City Center” in Dubai.
The festival organizes the “Green Carpet” event, which allows the public to meet directors and film executives for a range of films, and the “Jewel Center” will host three films that are screened for the first time in the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates United.
The festival receives its visitors from school students in the morning from 9 to 14, and from the general public from 16 to 21, and includes 8 dialogue sessions presented by a group of artists, directors and film industry specialists, and 34 workshops , as it hosts a selection of jury members including directors and cinema experts from 11 Arab and foreign countries, as well as 25 promising children and young people.
A message of love and peace
In her speech at the ceremony, Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi said: “Film represents an art that expands viewers’ perceptions, enriches their imaginations and opens horizons for their creative thinking as they develop their various life skills. From here, the festival has been a leading platform to consolidate the emirate’s message and realize the visions of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in promoting our Emirati identity. and authentic Arab culture, which requires tolerance, peace and love.
Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah added that “cinema is the enchanting world that captures the feelings and feelings of our children and young people, stimulates their aspirations, aspirations and dreams, and raises their awareness of global issues and their nation.” The seventh. art “is to inspire future generations to have a tangible positive impact on the lives of their communities and countries and to raise their awareness of the global humanitarian issues that embody the trends of the UAE and Sharjah.

uplifting peoples

The artist, Rasha Rizk, spoke about his career, his mission and the role of the festival in the consolidation of moral and family values: “During my career I have believed in the importance of art and its role in supporting the issues humanitarian aid, and making them solid pillars in policies to advance people and improve their achievements and cultural, artistic and human heritage, notably by supporting refugees and advocating women’s issues, as well as advocating environmental issues and raising awareness of the importance of preserve the planet “.

Inspiration

Director Fadel Al Muhairi said: “Films have always aroused my curiosity for their ability to attract attention, as I discovered after following them that everything around me can be a source of inspiration that enriches the imagination. and contributes to success “. She emphasized the role of short novels in attracting young people and instilling them with a passion for cinema, because they represent an opportunity to transform their events into illustrated scenarios, ensuring that they spend their free time in fun and useful ways. and invest them by turning their ideas into movie clips that establish them to get a permanent asset, or set up their own companies in the future.

The strength of cinema

Dixie Egrex stressed that “the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth stands out for its pioneering film productions that play a leading role in introducing new cultures and eliminating differences between global civilizations. People without regard for any consideration other than the common humanity among them. “
In turn, Ji Wen Lee, director of the opening film, “Children Are Fine”, said that “he stands out for the peculiarity of his heroes from child actors who played their roles spontaneously without training in the performance, and it is wonderful that the heroes of an entire film are young people, and this indicates our responsibility as adults in providing children with an environment that supports creativity and enhances their productive energies, which makes them capable and qualified to create many works of high artistic value ” .

green carpet

Under the slogan “Think Cinema”, the festival, which will run until October 15, organizes the “Green Carpet” event, which shows six feature films and allows the public to meet the directors and film executives who have worked on their production and talk with them about their experiences in the world of cinema, in general about their experience in those films shown in particular.
The Jewels Center for Conferences and Events will host the screening of three films: Paper Flower, making its first appearance in the Middle East, and “The Story of the Neighborhood” and “Farha”, making their first show in the Emirates, while “Vox Cinemas” will be screened in “City Center” Al Zahia “has three films in its first Middle East release, which are” The Secret Garden “,” Croissant “and” The Electrical Life of Louis Wayne “.
awards
This year’s edition will feature 95 films representing the cultures of 43 countries and will compete for the festival’s prize categories, including 12 films in the “Films for children and young adults” category, 16 in the “Student-made films” category. and 8 in the “Short Gulf Films” category and 8 films in the “international short films” category, 28 films in the “animated films” category, 16 films in the “feature films” category and 7 films in the “documentary films” category.

Courtesy of judgment

The jury of this year’s edition of the festival includes a selection of directors and film experts from 11 Arab and foreign countries, and is made up of the “student films” category of Amal Al-Duwailah, Nadia Rahman and Siona Vidakovic, and the “Short Gulf Films” category by Heba Mishari Hamada, Buthaina Al-Raisi and Hani Al-Shaibani, while the “Short Narrative Films” category includes Masoud Amrallah Al Ali and Yasser Al-Yasiri, and the “Animated Films” category includes Sarah Mohamed Waldada, Maryam Al Serkal and Laurie Gordon. The jury for the “Documentary Films” category is composed of Ahmed Shehab El-Din, Waad Al-Khatib and Suzanne Mbogo, while the “Featured Films” category includes Nawaf Al-Janahi and Aida Al-Hassani.
The festival selected 25 promising young people and young judges, who participated in the “Qualifying Referees” workshops organized by the “Fan” Foundation during the summer holidays, to increase their critical skills and ability to analyze and evaluate the films, to supervise the evaluation of the category “Films made by children and young people”. The selection of the winning film in this category.

Dialogue sessions

The activities of the ninth session will see 8 dialogue sessions presented by a group of artists, directors and specialists of the film industry, in particular Ahmed Shehab El-Din, who presents the session “Stories of refugees in cinema”, led by Alejandra Alcala, while the dialogue Ali Ben Kamal manages the programs of the “Fan” Foundation, hosted by Majd Al-Farsi and two students of the Foundation, the dialogue “Palestine: building connections through cinema” is presented by Ahmed Shehab El-Din, led by Ahmed Shehab El-Din Darin Salam, and finally by Shady Zein El-Din, “Why do we visit film festivals?” With Muhammad Sindi.
In addition, the festival organizes sessions: “Distribution of short films – who buys my film?”, “Training of future filmmakers” and “How do we support local and international talent?”, As well as a dialogue entitled “Film culture” hosted by the director Ferdus Polpolia.
The “Fan” platform offers 34 workshops, including “Animation Industry”, “Video Photography Basics”, “How to Learn to Make Film Watching Movies?”, “Screenplay”, “Direct Simply” and “Entertaining” . Production “,” Acting with Mahmoud Al-Qattan “,” Making a preparatory budget for the film “,” Development of the drama “and others.
In a move aimed at consolidating the festival’s role as an artistic and cultural tool that touches the passion of children and young people in all parts of Sharjah, it expands the scope of its activities at the University of Sharjah – Khorfakkan Branch on October 17- 18, Al Dhaid Cultural Center on October 20, Dibba Al Hisn Cultural Center on 24-25 and an Al Madam Cultural and Sports Club on October 27, Kalba Cultural Center on October 31 and November 1, Al Hamriya Cultural and Sports Club on 7 November and Al Bataeh Cultural and Sports Club on November 9th.