Parents Corner 145
T he journey of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFF) and FANN would not have been possible without the support of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. Her vision for culture as a cornerstone of development, and her commitment to empowering children & youth through creativity, has been the foundation on which we continue to build. Inspired by her guidance, our mission has never been only about showing films. It has been about creating an ecosystem where children and young people can discover cinema as a language that empowers them to imagine, question, and tell their own stories. Storytellers in the Making Too often, children & youth are treated as passive audiences. SIFF challenges that assumption. Every year, I see the creativity of children who pick up a camera to express emotions or highlight experiences adults might overlook. Giving them that platform, whether through screenings, workshops, or
competitions, signals something powerful: their voices matter. The next generation of filmmakers will not simply emerge by chance; they need spaces that nurture them from the earliest stages. SIFF exists to do just that. The next generation of filmmakers will not simply emerge by chance; they need spaces that nurture them from the earliest stages. Cinema as a Cultural Classroom Cinema is entertainment, yes, but it is also education. Films transport young audiences across cultures and histories in a way no textbook can. At FANN, our programs push beyond the passive consumption of stories. We ask young people to think critically:
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