In this edition of SFP, films will also be screened at Vox Cinemas in City Centre Al Zahia.
Sharjah Art Foundation has announced that it is set to host the annual Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) this December, spotlighting independent cinema and experimental filmmaking in its sixth edition. The festival boasts a diverse programme, featuring nearly 40 short and feature-length international films competing for the Sharjah Film Platform Awards. Additionally, special screenings of notable works from and around the region will be showcased.
Each film screening during the festival, running from December 8 to 17, 2023, will be followed by an in-person Q&A session with the respective filmmaker. Parallel to the film screenings, the event will host talks and panel discussions centred around the themes of solidarity and resistance.
SFP6 will unfold at the Mirage City Cinema, the open-air theatre in Sharjah’s historical quarter, and the Sharjah Institute of Theatrical Arts. This edition will also extend its screenings to Vox Cinemas in City Centre Al Zahia, providing a premium experience for independent cinema enthusiasts in the region.
The Competition section of SFP6 presents 30 documentary and fiction films competing for the Sharjah Film Platform Awards. These films, all having their UAE premieres, will be accompanied by Q&A sessions with the directors. These films have been nominated by a special committee of filmmakers and industry professionals, who practise in different parts of the world.
The Out of Competition section of SFP6 showcases films produced in and around the region, including Amjad Al Rasheed’s fiction feature Inshallah a Boy (2023) and Sonia Ben Slama’s documentary Machtat (2023). The Director in Focus section for SFP6 will pay tribute to the late pioneer Safi Faye, whose films illuminate women’s voices in rural Senegalese communities.
For industry professionals, the SFP Industry Hub includes the Pitching Forum, a feature scriptwriting competition with an open call; the Script Lab, a professional scriptwriting course; and an annual initiative supporting regional and international film distribution. The SFP6 Pitching Forum, scheduled for 2024, is supported by Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) and the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCY) in the UAE.
