Sharjah24: The Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth opened its tenth session with a dazzling array of film screenings and thought-provoking discussions, offering valuable insights into the world of cinema and its esteemed stars. This year's festival is hosted at the Vox Cinema halls in City Center Al Zahia and will run until October 28. The festival has witnessed an impressive turnout of young cinephiles, who have enjoyed a diverse selection of films in various languages and have actively engaged in a wide range of interactive and educational workshops throughout the festival's duration.
Day one of the festival featured an enlightening session titled "An Artist's Journey," where the Egyptian artist Laila Elwi shared her artistic journey, which began when she was only seven years old at Egyptian Radio. She reflected on her career, which led her to Sharq Al Awsat Radio and Cairo Radio. During the session, Elwi discussed her role in the film "Me, My Daughter, and Love," marking her debut in cinema, as well as her experiences in the movie "For Life." She emphasized the importance of character embodiment and the multifaceted skills required for film and television acting. Currently working on the film "Al-Maqsoum," Elwi revealed that the next two years will be focused on dramatic projects.
Prominent Egyptian screenwriter Medhat El-Adl emphasized the role of passion in successful screenplay writing during the "Finding Your Story" session. He underscored the significance of answering the question, "What happens if...," as it forms the foundation of any compelling story. El-Adl also stressed the importance of character development, their movements, and their future in crafting a compelling screenplay. Writing for children, he noted, is a particularly challenging endeavor that requires expertise in child psychology. El-Adl also highlighted the need for increased investments in cinema to showcase the strength and significance of Arab art.
The festival also included a dialogue session titled "From Festival Screenings to Streaming” Talal Al Asmani from Imagenation Abu Dhabi and Tarek Ghannam from Shooting Stars Film Distribution Company discussed the challenges faced by the film industry in the Middle East, particularly in terms of distribution and financing, post the "Covid-19" pandemic. They emphasized the role of festivals as important platforms for showcasing new films, despite the difficulties for distributors and producers in getting their films selected. The discussion touched on the challenges faced by filmmakers in securing broadcast platform rights and adapting to the platforms' unique requirements.
As part of the "Green Carpet" activities, Syrian artist Samer Al-Masry participated in the screening of "Nezouh," directed by Soudad Kaadan and starring the artist Kinda Alloush. The film's events unfold in Syria during years of conflict, following 14-year-old Zeina and her journey to find refuge after a shell destroys her home. The film explores the resilience and challenges faced by the characters amidst the backdrop of conflict and displacement.
This year's festival boasts an impressive lineup of 81 films from 37 countries, including cinematic offerings from countries participating for the first time. Notably, it features the world premiere of three films and the Middle East premiere of 43 others. The "Green Carpet" platform showcases four feature films, including "Nezouh," "Little Nicholas," "She is from Another Planet," and "Valley Road."
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