Amin Abbas

SHARJAH: The Sharjah Cinema Days initiative, which was held from Feb. 28 to Mar. 3, achieved remarkable success as it highlighted Japanese culture as well as local talent. 

Throughout the five days, visitors watched a variety of Japanese movies, such as ‘Howl’s Moving Castle,’ directed by Hayao Miyazaki. 

The initiative also featured cosplayers wearing their favorite characters from anime, manga, video games, and comics as they interacted with the visitors at the event.

An ‘Arab Wood’ collection, which was inspired by the artist Ali Al Saadi, from the films ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘La La Land,’ and ‘Aladdin,’ was presented at the Sharjah Film Festival with an Arab and local vision.

Organized by the FANN Foundation, the five-day event attracted more than 5,000 visitors, who took part in film screenings and workshops. 

Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi, FANN Foundation’s Director General, shared that the success achieved by the initiative reflects the importance of its role and influence in enriching the local cultural scene.

“The initiative contributed to opening horizons for filmmakers, directors, and artists, enabling them to express their points of view and produce various artistic works and designs,” she shared. 

“The remarkable success achieved by the initiative confirms the need for the local artistic and cultural sector to have an innovative platform that contributes to supporting and empowering talents and works to create a creative environment capable of giving creators in the fields of cinema and visual and performing arts the opportunity to learn about different artistic experiences,” Al Qasimi added. 

The visitors also interacted with seven art installations that represented the product of the creativity of a group of artists and emerging talents, led by visual artist Ahlam Al-Bannai, head of the Applied Media Department at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai. 

The initiative could not have succeeded without the contributions of volunteers and their efforts as they guided visitors and provided the facilities they needed to ensure that they obtained an integrated artistic experience.