"Exposure" It celebrates elite filmmakers
Sharjah, February 3, 2026 – The Xposure International Film Awards 2026 celebrated an elite group of filmmakers from around the world, devoting the presence of cinema as one of the pillars of contemporary visual narrative, during a special ceremony held yesterday, as part of the activities of the tenth session of the Xposure Festival.
This year’s edition witnessed a wide turnout, as the award attracted 634 cinematic entries from more than 60 countries, which reflected the diversity of experiences and methods and the film’s ability to present a deep visual narrative that intersects with current humanitarian, cultural and environmental issues.
His Excellency Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Office, and His Excellency Alia Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Office, honored the winners in the four categories of the award: Best Cinematographic Arts, Best Visual Effects, Best Documentary Film, and Best Short Film.
The awards come as confirmation of the festival’s approach to enhancing the presence of filmmaking within its program and consolidating the film’s position as an effective visual medium in reading reality and presenting human and social narratives in a conscious and influential cinematic language.
In the “Best Cinematic Arts” category, Danish Farhan from the UAE won for the film “Bedouin Breeze,” while Maxim Akbarov from Kazakhstan came in runner-up for the film “The Prairie.”
The “Best Visual Effects” award went to Iranian Majid Farzoulahi for the film “The Story of the Earth: A World Without Limits,” while his compatriot Mehdi Hadizadeh won the second place award for the film “Holy Death.”
The Dutchman Casper Diederik won the award for best documentary film for the film “Moga: If its spring dries up… our hopes have dried up,” and the Portuguese Fernando Teixeira came in runner-up for the film “Wilderness Awakening in Kua.”
As for the Best Short Film award, it was won by Latvian Sergius De Laurentiis for the film “The Silence of Crimson,” while Palestinian director Ahmed Deeb came in second place for the film “Farfour: War Diaries from Gaza.”
The Xposure Award for Special Achievement in the Documentary Film category went to director Ibrahim Jouf for his film “The Secret Trade,” which was shown for the first time in the UAE, as part of the festival’s activities. The honor came in recognition of his continuing creative career and his works that deeply addressed the complex relationship between humans, wildlife, and the systems that make up the natural world.
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