Sharjah Cinema Days enrich artistic scene, attract over 5,000 visitors

The "Sharjah Cinema Days” initiative, which concluded its activities on Sunday night, achieved remarkable success that reflects the vitality of the cultural scene in Sharjah.

The initiative, organised by the FANN Foundation - Media Discovery Platform, was able to attract more than 5,000 visitors, who took part in film screenings and workshops.

They enjoyed a series of entertainment and musical performances and interacted with the group of installation artworks. The initiative activities were hosted in Buhais — the geopark in Sharjah.

Sheikha Jawaher Bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director General of FANN Foundation and Sharjah International Film Festival (SIFF), indicated that the success achieved by the initiative reflects the importance of its role and influence in enriching the local cultural scene. She said, "The Sharjah Cinema Days initiative contributed to opening horizons for filmmakers, directors and artists, and enabling them to express their points of view and produce various artistic works and designs that highlight their ability to contribute to the local artistic movement.”

Sheikha Jawaher added, "The remarkable success achieved by the initiative confirms the need for the local artistic and cultural sector to have an innovative platform that contributes to supporting and empowering talents and works to create a creative environment capable of giving creators in the fields of cinema and visual and performing arts the opportunity to learn about different artistic experiences.”

On its last day, the "Sharjah Cinema Days” initiative witnessed a group of activities inspired by the atmosphere of Bollywood, where the audience watched the screening of scenes from the Indian musical romantic film "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” by director and screenwriter Aditya Chopra, who had previously presented a group of the most successful Indian films at the box office, including "Tiger 3” and "Mohabbatein”, while many musical groups performed inspiring performances inspired by Bollywood films.

Over the 5 days of the SCD, visitors watched a series of films, including the Japanese film "Howl's Moving Castle" directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and produced by Studio Ghibli, as well as the Korean drama film "Paper Flower", and the foreign film "Singin In the Rain” by directors Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, in addition to a group of Gulf short films, which included "Mabrook ma Yaak”, "A Policeman’s Story,” "Shaaban 27,” "Nour Shams,” and "Our neighbor, Bouhamad.”

The visitors also interacted with 7 art installations that represented the product of the creativity of a group of artists and emerging talents, led by visual artist Ahlam Al-Bannai, head of the Applied Media Department at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, who presented her work "Sustaining Minds,” inspired by the statements of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, which center around people and the importance of investing in them. The initiative also presented the "Arab Wood” collection, which was inspired by the artist Ali Al Saadi from the films "Harry Potter,” "La La Land,” and " Aladdin” and presented it with an Arab and local vision.

The event witnessed the display of the artwork "Emirates Nostalgia” by photographer Hamad Al Jasmi, in addition to the works presented by artist Aisha Al Ali and her colleague Hamda Al Marri, titled (Lunar Legacy), which aim to honor human curiosity, creativity, and his constant pursuit of the unknown, and a series of works by artist Hessa Al Shehhi, which through it, she expressed her passion for visual arts, telling stories through the lens, taking photos, and more.

WAM