FUNN – the Sharjah-based organisation that promotes and supports media arts learning in UAE’s children and youth – has forged several strategic partnerships with both public and private sector entities, gaining their sponsorship and support for the seventh edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF), which begins on Sunday (October 13, 2019).

Themed ‘Film Inspired by Books,’ the event runs until October 18 at the Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (JRCC).

The film festival’s key local sponsors and partners include Sharjah Media City (Shams) – Gold Sponsor; Crescent Enterprises and Gulftainer – Strategic Partners; Emirates Airline and AGMC – Official Carriers; Canon – Official Imaging Partner; Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) – Strategic Media Partner; and Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) – Official Tourism Partner.

FUNN has also signed cooperation agreements with Sharjah Broadcasting Authority – Media Partner; Sharjah Airport – Bronze Partner, Grand Stores, and Flower Lab – who are Support Sponsors; Nikon and Third Eye – Educational Partners. Special sponsorship has been offered by SIFF’s screening venues in Al Zahia Sharjah by Majid Al Futaim, Last Exist – Khawaneej, and City Walk, CinemaCity IMAX, DFC, Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (JRCC) and Zero 6 Mall. In addition to Centro Sharjah SIFF’s Hospitality Partner.

H.E. Dr. Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City (SHAMS), said: “The Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival coincides with our celebration of Sharjah as the World Book Capital, an extraordinary achievement that highlights the importance of books and its role in developing arts and culture.”

“Our goal is to align with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, which focuses on building an ideal environment for culture, arts and innovation. Hence, we are keen to participate in Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival as a Gold Sponsor. We strongly believe in the importance of FUNN’s projects in supporting media arts among children and young adults in Sharjah and the across the region. Sharjah Media City was established with the aim of supporting and empowering young talents, providing them with knowledge and tools necessary for creativity and innovation. Therefore, we must utilise all our resources by collaborating with various cultural, arts and entrepreneurship organizations to create a cultural legacy in the emirate,” Al Midfa added.

Badr Jafar, CEO, Crescent Enterprises, said: “Science and technology may be leading the innovation wave sweeping our world today, but it is the arts that has the real power to bring us closer together and build bridges. By creating this platform in a city that is synonymous with arts and culture, the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth paves the way for a new generation of thinkers, doers and disruptors. Crescent Enterprises takes pride in its continuing partnership with the festival since inception, where our future leaders come to experience, create and exchange ideas that can inspire and positively transform their future.”

For his part, Ayhan Olcer, Chief Executive Officer of AGMC, Official BMW Group importer in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, said: “We are very proud to support an event that does so much to enhance child literacy and nurture young filmmaking talent. By inviting young guests to try out their painting skills on a MINI – with brushes or their hands – we aim to inspire creativity and artistic skills in a fun and original way. We may even discover the MINI livery design of the future.”

Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director, Canon Middle East and Canon Eurasia, said: “Congratulations to Sharjah International Film Festival for Youth and Children on a successful event once again this year, which we were delighted to support as the official imaging partner. Not only was the event a tremendous success in terms of content, visitor numbers and on the ground activities – it also achieved a Guinness World Record with the largest ever photography workshop with the provision of 400 Canon DSRL cameras as well as expert instruction. This initiative is a demonstration of our commitment to the education of youth and support for the enhancement of the communities in which we operate, something that resonates with Canon’s corporate philosophy of kyosei, which means living and working together for the common good. ”

HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman SCTDA, said: “We are always keen to contribute to supporting family and cultural events across the emirate, in line with our ambitious vision to further develop the tourism sector in Sharjah and consolidate its position on the global tourism landscape.”

“Our participation in SIFF aligns with our ongoing dedication to offering a variety of exceptional tourism experiences all year long, including recreational and cultural experiences that attract more tourists and visitors to Sharjah and promote it as a regional hub that supports talented children and youth. Once again, we are honoured to be part of the success that SIFF achieved in the UAE and the region. We would like to laud the efforts of organisers and participants, and we look forward for this year’s successful edition that has attracted more participants and exceptional film entries,” he added.

Chairman of SCTDA applauded the role of partners from government and private sectors in sponsoring and supporting initiatives to raise Sharjah’s profile as a premier destination for festivals catering particularly to children and youth, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

Shadi Al Azzeh, Al Zahia Project Director at Majid Al Futtaim Properties, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth once again in line with Al Zahia’s commitment to supporting talented young people and to embodying Sharjah’s family, community and cultural values as UNICEF’s Child-Friendly City.”

Al Azzeh pointed out that the Festival, which has become a landmark event for the seventh art, now includes a category for young people between 18 and 30 years of age in addition to categories for children and adolescents. This adds value to the outstanding film festival, which is supported by Al Zahia, Sharjah’s premier lifestyle destination, as it seeks to consolidate its status as a destination to live, play and work in a community where there are already more than 800 families in residence.

Issa Ataya, Managing Director of Sharjah’s leading real estate developer, Alef Group, the master developer of Al Mamsha project, said: “We are delighted to support the 7th Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth, in collaboration with Sharjah Art Foundation, by hosting part of the Foundation’s activities during the Festival at Zero 6 Mall, one of Sharjah’s premier shopping and entertainment destinations, which houses the CinemaCity IMAX, Sharjah’s first and only and UAE’s biggest IMAX screen.

“Our contribution to the 7th Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth fits within Alef Group’s vision to provide all possible support to the local community and to the insightful events organised in Sharjah.”

Ataya added: “One of the Zero 6’s cinema halls has been dedicated to screening SIFF’s movies. Spaces have also been allocated within the corridors of the Mall to the interactive activities to be organised by the Art Foundation with the visiting audience, where cultural competitions will be held, including prize awards ceremonies. Kids’ movies will likewise be screened across the Mall’s Corridors.”