Sharjah Film Festival Doubles Pitching Slots as Industry Infrastructure Expands

The Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth concluded on Sunday with its pitching platform doubling in capacity for the second year of operations. The event selected six development projects this year, up from three in the previous cycle. This expansion aims to convert the festival from a screening venue into a functional industry hub for emerging talent in the region.

The festival’s parent organization, FANN, signed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE’s National Media Authority during the event. The agreement covers film screening procedures, media coordination, regulatory processes, training, and technical support. The federal body also became an official supporting partner. This move aligns with the festival’s stated goal of maintaining a presence in filmmakers' careers from their initial cinema experiences to their first professional opportunities.

Paul Negoescu’s Romanian-Bulgarian drama “Atlas of the Universe” received the top prize for best feature film. The jury described the coming-of-age story as the essence of the festival. Celia Catunda’s Brazilian animation “My Grandfather Is a Nihonjin” took the best animated feature award. The Saudi documentary “The Path of Memory, Between the Lands of Jasmine and Basil” by Areej Alghamdi won best documentary, while Abdulrahman Al Madani’s Emirati short “Oug” claimed the best Arabic short title.

The festival also debuted an audience voting system for the first time. Attendees scanned a QR code after each screening to rate the films. The Thai feature “Gohan” won the inaugural Audience Award. Huda Al Harmoudi, deputy director of FANN, stated that the organization wanted to give viewers a greater role in the festival and make their opinions count.

The competition included 71 films from 38 countries, selected from 1,802 submissions from 72 nations. Italy served as the Country of Honor. The pitching platform connected filmmakers with industry professionals to secure financing, production support, or international partners. Khalid Al Mahmoud’s project “The Mangrove House” was selected at the inaugural 2025 platform for post-production support. FANN later backed the film, which opened this year’s festival with its world premiere.

Youth participation programs expanded to include Junior Jurors and Festival Ambassadors. These initiatives place young people on juries and in roles covering the annual event. Egyptian participants Ali Beialy, 12, and Retal Abdelaziz, 15, served as junior jurors. Beialy noted that the experience changed how he watches films, prompting him to analyze cinematography, lighting, and directing alongside the narrative. Abdelaziz emphasized the importance of exchanging ideas and experiences between countries.

Emirati filmmakers highlighted ongoing challenges in the local sector. The two Emirati entries in competition, “The Mangrove House” and “Oug,” drew attention to the need for sustainable infrastructure in financing, production, and distribution. This discussion occurs as the Dubai International Film Festival prepares to return in December 2027 after a decade-long hiatus.