Sharjah film festival announces 100 titles from 43 countries

Now in its ninth year, the event aims to inspire a whole new generation of creators

The line-up was announced by festival director Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi. Anna Nielsen / The National

Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth 2022 has announced a comprehensive list of 100 titles from 43 countries.

The coming event, at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre from October 10 to 15, will include entries from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, France and the UK among others. The official selection of films was chosen from a vast array of more than 1,700 submissions, from nearly 90 countries.

After two years of socially distanced online ceremonies, October will mark the festival's return to the physical format. It is organised by Funn — a Sharjah government organisation devoted to promoting media arts education among children.

Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, who is the director of both Funn and the Sharjah film festival, said: “As the ninth Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth returns to its physical format, the exciting range of films being screened this year will spark the curiosity of young audiences and offer unique cultural perspectives from around the world.

"Our curated selection of 100 films celebrates diverse global voices through the universal lens of childhood.”

Spread across seven categories, the films chosen for this year are dominated by animated productions, with almost 30 making the official selection list. Feature films, meanwhile, have more than doubled from last year with 17, plus a further 16 student films.

While the UK has the most films made by children and youths, Saudi Arabia tops the number of short films from the GCC — with both countries producing 12 selections each.

Sheikha Jawaher, also director of Funn, said the festival aimed to present quality cinema to the younger generation to boost their creative pursuits while offering "an incredible platform" for them to "connect with films and filmmakers from across the globe".

Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth runs from October 10 to 15 at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, Sharjah