Sharjah International Film Festival for Children & Youth Wraps Up 12th Edition

The curtain has fallen on the 12th edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFF), held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. The six-day festival concluded on Sunday, October 12, with a vibrant closing ceremony at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, attended by filmmakers, industry professionals, and cinema enthusiasts.

This year’s festival attracted more than 60,000 visitors, celebrating creative storytelling and young talent from around the world.

Celebrating Creativity and Diversity in Cinema

In her remarks, Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director of SIFF, highlighted the festival’s cultural significance, saying:

“The festival’s success reflects its growing influence both locally and internationally. It has become an integral part of Sharjah’s cultural landscape, inspiring young people to embrace cinema as a medium of creativity and self-expression. The winning films stood out for their quality, diversity, and artistic depth.”

Highlights and Award Winners

The Best Feature Film Award went to My Driver & I by Ahd Kamel, with Rola Khalil receiving a Special Mention for her performance.
Other notable winners included:

• Best Animated Feature: Miss Moxy by Wib Vernooij

• Best Short Animation Film: Son by Zhanna Bekmambetova

• Best Film by Children and Youth: Every Living, Breathing Moment by Angelo Visser

• Best Student Short Film: Coop by Mujtaba Alhejji

• Best Student Short Animation: The Old Klavirista by Sarah Coppin

• Best Arab Short Film: The Mullah by Baha Al-Kadhimi

• Best International Short Film: How to Open the Door by Joan Ji Yey Hui and Ji Wan Park

• Best Documentary: Guardians of the Mountains by Ali Fuad

Special Mentions were awarded to Marion Provrov for The Secret of the Black Hand and Park So-yi for 2:15 PM.

A Global Celebration of Film

This year’s SIFF showcased 74 films selected from 1,740 submissions across 26 countries, including Saudi Arabia, France, Iran, Indonesia, Bahrain, Russia, India, and the Netherlands. For the first time, films from São Tomé and Príncipe, Ecuador, and Belize joined the lineup.

The festival’s Green Carpet featured regional premieres of Miss Moxy (Netherlands), 2:15 PM (South Korea), and Hajeer (Saudi Arabia).

Korean cinema was celebrated as the Guest of Honour, with a curated program spotlighting its human-centered storytelling and global reach.