10th edition of SIFF for children and youth comes to an end

The Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth concluded its milestone tenth edition and celebrated the exceptional talents of filmmakers and directors across seven distinctive categories.

The festival was held under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA).

At the grand finale, the coveted title of "Best Feature Film" was awarded to "Nezouh," directed by Soudade Kaadan, while the "Best GCC Short Film" accolade was claimed by "Sukoon," Directed by Ahsan Minhas and Marwan Bakri. The heartwarming film "Hope," created by Kanto Randresy, Oualid Laouer, Lucie Jean, Maxime Pitrou, and Henry Mbouen, clinched the "Best Students Film" award. In young cinema, "Conscience," directed by Mujtaba Al-Hejji, earned recognition as the "Best Child Made Film."

The spectacular closing ceremony took place at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park yesterday (Friday) and was graced by prominent figures from the world of Arab cinema and drama.

In the international category, Amir Honarmand's "Silkworm" was hailed as the "Best International Short Film," and Marjolaine Perreten's "Pebble Hill" triumphed in the category of "Best Short Animated Film." Kaisa Naess's enchanting creation, "Titina," was crowned the "Best Animated Feature Film." Special mentions were accorded to "Cat Kiss" by Hwang Soo-bin and "Aleise" by Abdullah Saharti.

In her address, Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi emphasised how the festival's offerings had fostered creativity and inspiration among the younger generation.

She expressed her heartfelt sentiments: "As we reach the culmination of the festival, we honour the artisans and storytellers whose films we passionately followed. Over five days, we were transported by more than 80 inspiring stories from around the world, all converging beneath the vibrant and creative cultural sky of 'Sultan's Sharjah.'"

Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi reaffirmed the festival's unwavering support for the children of Palestine by donating its proceeds to the "Big Heart" campaign, dedicated to aiding the children of Gaza and Palestine facing the hardships of conflict.

She expressed her profound gratitude towards the dedicated teams and volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure the resounding success of the tenth edition. She commended their unwavering commitment, cooperation, and enthusiasm, highlighting the delightful choices they made throughout the festival.