Apart from over 80 screenings on its virtual platform, the recently opened Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF 2021) is making the rounds of schools across the UAE, taking key messages and life lessons through the magic of film to students. The festival screened five animations from around the world at the a school yesterday (Sunday).

These included Kiri & Lou: Airdirected by acclaimed filmmaker Harry Sinclair;The Snail and the Whale from the UK which portrays an unusual friendship, Umbrella, which is making its Middle East premier at SIFF 2021; followed by the short, 11-minute animation from Argentina, Little Forest; and finally,the French – Creole productionVanille, which portrays the adventures of a young girl as she fights a hair-stealing monster in her aunt’s town.

Cinematic treat comprising 27 screenings planned for tomorrow (Monday)

Movie buffs in the UAE and beyond are in for a real treat on Monday, October 12, the third day of SIFF 2021, with several celebrated films that have captured the imagination of young audiences around the world on the list.

Among the 27 films being streamed today on SIFF’s brand-new 3D platform, is the award-winning Russian animated film, The Little Boat that Wanted to Fly, directed by Ekaterina Filippova. Being shown for the first time in the GCC, the short film which narrates a touching story about inclusion – a boat that doesn’t fit in with others because it wants to fly – won the Best Children’s Film Award at the 2020 World Festival of Animated Film (WFAF).

UAE-based Safa Azarayesh’s Childhood Trauma, that is competing in the GCC Short Films category, will have its world premiere today. The thought-provoking film will compel you to connect the dots between childhood trauma and adulthood.

The full-length feature film In My Dream (8+) will be the highlight of the day. The film focuses on the life of a 9-year-old Tarik’s attempt to hold on to life after a horrific accident in which he loses his parents. A feature-length documentary, Self Portrait, will also be streamed.

Among the other short films being shown, Happy Eviction is a poignant venture about the victims of evictions in Spain, where an eviction takes place every 12 minutes; while Tattooed, narrates the unlikely relationship that springs up between a rebellious teenager Camille and Tihidirt, his aged aunt. Don’t Give Up and I Was Still There When You Left Me are the other short films for the 14+ category.

Among the films in the Child and Youth Made Film category, Stolen Skin looks into the thoughts of a girl who is a victim of sexual harassment; Apnoea, which captures the dilemma of someone who suffers from sleep apnoea; Fish Out of Water, which presents a positive message for parents of autistic children; and Bella’s Requiem, a thriller based on a true story about the misadventures of a group of schoolboys. Other films in the category include Overload, Bob’s Your Uncle, Comfortable Position, Mega MegaMegaMega Party and The Small Christmas Tree.

You Sold My Roller skates?, Ailin on the Moon, Louis’ Shoes, and My Life in Versaillescater to the Grade 3 to 5 category.

Zog and the Flying Doctor, The First Line, Beyond Borders, and Girls Talk About Football are among the other screenings.

Enjoy these free screenings with your children and friends, and add more to your ‘to-watch’ schedule for the remainder of SIFF 2021 by simply registering on https://siff.ae/