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Sharjah hosts movies by kids, for kids

Sharjah - Various awards will be given at the SICFF, including Best Child-Made Film; Best Student-Made Film; Best GCC Short Film; Best Feature Film; Best International Short Film; Best Documentary Film; and Best Animation Film.

Kids are no longer consumers of films. At the forthcoming Sharjah International Children's Film Festival (SICFF), organised by FUNN-Sharjah Media Arts for Youth and Children, young filmmakers, as well as film fans, will be making their own mark on the silver screen. 
The objective is to develop original ideas and bring fresh concepts of movies made by kids and produced for kids.
The SICFF, happening on October 8-13, is aimed at nurturing future generations of creative artists in media and film and promote new works made by the UAE's young filmmakers at international film festivals and conferences worldwide. 
Its larger goal is to foster talent through events locally and internationally and to form a close-knit network of talented young people who can share experiences and expertise on a global scale and contribute to a more harmonious community. 
Various awards will be given at the SICFF, including Best Child-Made Film; Best Student-Made Film; Best GCC Short Film; Best Feature Film; Best International Short Film; Best Documentary Film; and Best Animation Film.
"One of SICFF's key criteria is that a film provides its audience with a meaningful and insightful portrayal of decent moral codes and values," Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, director of FUNN and SICFF, told Khaleej Times.
She believes the festival is more than a vehicle for highly talented filmmakers to showcase their work, it is also an opportunity for them to illustrate the importance and effect of their messages and how they convey them.
According to Sheikha Jawaher, "film is a unique medium which has the power to influence our thinking in just a matter of minutes. Children, youngsters and adolescents are among the most impressionable members of our society and not only should we have a desire to protect them from harmful messages, we have a duty to ensure they enjoy the content which will broaden their horizons and help them to become role models in society."
"Every year, there is an increase in both the quantity and the quality of the entries and it is wonderful to see that filmmaking either for young people or by young people is taking us in the right direction," added Sheikha Jawaher.
angel@khaleejtimes.com