The 13th edition of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFF), organised by FANN – Media Discovery Platform, opened its Green Carpet screenings at VOX Cinemas, City Centre Al Zahia with the Middle East premiere of the Thai film Gohan, according to festival organisers.
Organisers reported a strong turnout, saying all tickets for the screening sold out.
Gohan, co-directed by Chabapob Boonweerakob, Baz Poonpiriya and Aat Hemaweadee, is described as a story that follows a stray white dog whose life unfolds over more than a decade through relationships with three different people. The film’s narrative is presented as tracing the dog’s experiences from the warmth of a first home to later chapters with a young housekeeper and, subsequently, an art student who teaches him “the meaning of love.” The film, organisers said, explores themes of love, loyalty and the bond between humans and animals through encounters, farewells and lasting memories.
Workshops focus on filmmaking skills for children and youth
Alongside the screening, Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators organised a series of interactive workshops as part of SIFF, bringing together film industry experts and professionals to introduce children and young people to different aspects of filmmaking.
The workshops were held at the foundation’s platform at City Centre Al Zahia and included sessions on both traditional and emerging creative tools. A workshop titled “Film Production Management: Breaking Down Call Sheets and Developing a Daily Shooting Schedule” was led by trainer Moamen Al Qaraan, focusing on the basics of film production planning.
Organisers said trainer Ahmed Fayez led “AI Content Creation,” giving participants an opportunity to explore how artificial intelligence can be used to develop ideas and turn them into visual content.
Other workshop topics included “Product Photography,” led by Mohammed Kabash, which introduced cinematic techniques used in product photography. The programme also featured “Filmmaking Before the Shoot: Using Artificial Intelligence,” led by Mohammed Adel, described as examining the role of AI in the early stages of filmmaking.
A “Make Your Own Film” session introduced participants to the main stages of filmmaking, while “Shadow Cinema”, led by trainer Aisha Khalifa, taught storytelling techniques using light and shadow. Hidaya Ahmed presented “Film Strip,” described as introducing an element of cinema’s history.
The workshop line-up also included “Create Your Own Storyboard,” led by trainer Mahra, where children were invited to create their own stories and turn them into illustrated scene sequences, as organisers said.