Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi opens the 12th edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth

Sharjah, October 5 / WAM / His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, opened this evening the activities of the 12th edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth, which is organized by the “Art” institution with the aim of providing an innovative platform that brings together filmmakers and creators from all over the world, at the Qasimiya University Theater.

During the opening ceremony, His Highness the Deputy Ruler of Sharjah preferred to honor a group of artists with a life -level achievement award at the Emirates and the Gulf region, which was deserved by the Emirati artist Abdullah Saleh and the Saudi artist Abdul Mohsen Al -Nimr, in appreciation of their achievements and contributions to enriching art in general through dramatic, theatrical and cinematic works, and the artist Abed Fahd honored the life achievement award in the Middle East.

In the youth category, His Highness the Emirati artist Marwan Abdullah Saleh honored the Youth Award at the Emirates level, while the artist Hala Al -Turk crowned the youth award at the Gulf level, and the artist Basil Khayat was awarded a special award in appreciation of his efforts in enriching the Arab artistic scene with distinguished works.

Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director General of the Foundation of the quarter of a century for the industry of leaders and innovators, Director of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth, delivered the opening speech, stressing that the festival expresses Sharjah’s commitment to be an incubator for the child and a sponsor of his talents and inspiring his dreams, based on the unique thought of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, Jawaher bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of the Sharjah Family and Society Council, where their Highness worked to make culture a bridge for human development and building.

Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi said: The festival continues its career that he started 12 years ago, to assure us that cinema is not just an art of pleasure, but rather a means of education, meditation and discovery, and a platform for exchanging human experiences, which is embodied in our festival, which comes this year loaded with interactive workshops, dialogue sessions, and inspiring meetings that give our children and youth the opportunity to express themselves, and industry. Their worlds, and build their dreams on the screen.

The director of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth indicated that the festival is keen on its various activities to develop local, Gulf and Arab cinema and form the features of its future, pointing out that the festival films carry among them the pulse of youth and the creators’ insistence that the cinema be a tool for change, a way to express, and a bridge of communication between peoples.

On the international participations in the festival, Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi spoke, saying: Through the festival films, we look at Korean cinema with all its deep stories, distinctive productions and the strength of its performance, to reflect the extent of the cinema’s ability to overcome the limits of language and cultures, and how it can turn into an important economic tributary, and soft power that exceeds the geography of the world, as we celebrate with various creations that come to us from Blaze, Ecuador, Sao Tommy and Brenysibi, who shared the joy of the festival for the first time.

The director of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth revealed the festival’s support for a group of humanitarian initiatives adopted by the Khaled bin Sultan Al Qasimi Foundation, where the surplus of sales of tickets for the current version was devoted to supporting the efforts of the Foundation aimed at protecting and empowering weak children, which reflects the commitment of the “Art” institution to its community responsibilities.

The artist Marwan Abdullah Saleh gave a speech, in which he said: The festival succeeded, for twelve years, to be a platform for young people and a source of inspiration, and proved his ability to raise the level of passion, and make an environment that gives young people trust and support to achieve their aspirations and continue their creative career, to become an active part of the film industry, which enhances the position of Sharjah as an incubator for creativity and a sponsor of culture and art The unique rational leadership, which made the emirate a center for cultural dialogue, and a place where the creators find their opportunity to shine, and in which young people find a space for learning and experience.

Saleh stressed that young people have an important and vital role in upgrading the cinema industry, describing the youth as the makers of the future, and through their creative ideas, the dream is converted into a picture, the idea into a scene, and the imagination to a reality that illuminates the screen, and through the festival the importance of their care, empowerment and development of their skills, to become pioneers in this field.

Marwan Abdullah Saleh concluded his speech, expressing his pride in honoring the Youth Award at the Emirates level, alongside his father, the artist Abdullah Saleh, indicating that it is the first time that he and his father are celebrated together in a prominent artistic event, which makes this honor a special value for the messages it carries full of love, loyalty and appreciation for a family march that arose in the arms of culture, art and creativity.

His Highness, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, watched a video film dealing with the goals of the festival, which focuses on developing the skills of emerging talents and enhancing their capabilities in the cinematic production sector and the most important thing they receive, and the most prominent training of the festival provides training workshops that refine their skills in terms of knowing the details of lighting, montage, directing, etc., in addition to the use of advanced modern devices and technologies used in the world of global cinema.

His Highness is known through a presentation on the members of the festival’s arbitration committees, which includes 16 directors and experts in the cinema, and the most prominent participants in the current version of the festival, which includes the screening of 74 films that were chosen from among 1740 films from 26 countries, and “Green Carpet” hosts 3 films that are shown for the first time in the Middle East region, which is the Dutch film “Miss Moxi”, and the Korean movie “2:15 PM” For director, Serong Jong, in addition to the Saudi movie “Haiter” by director Sarah Talib.

The festival celebrates this year with the Korean cinema that was chosen by the guest of honor, where the festival, which continues until October 12, displays a group of Korean films that are characterized by its deep humanitarian stories and distinctive productions, giving the public the opportunity to explore the history and philosophy of these works and its ability to overcome the borders.

The opening ceremony was attended by His Highness, Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Government Relations Department, Sheikha Jawaher Bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director General of the Foundation for a quarter of a century for the industry of leaders and innovators, director of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth, and a number of senior officials and a group of artists, directors and workers in the cinematic sector and guests of honor.

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