Sharjah Art Foundation honours Oscar-nominated Abderrahmane Sissako as the Director in Focus at Sharjah Film Platform 9

Sharjah Art Foundation announces Abderrahmane Sissako as the Director in Focus for the ninth edition of Sharjah Film Platform (SFP9), running from 30 October to 8 November 2026. The programme celebrates the acclaimed filmmaker’s distinctive cinematic practice through screenings of three landmark works including the Oscar-nominated film Timbuktu (2014), as well as Bamako (2006) and Black Tea (2024). As part of his visit to Sharjah, Sissako will lead a special workshop reflecting on what he has learned from over three decades of filmmaking.

Known for his poetic approach to cinema, Sissako explores themes of exile, memory, belonging and the complexities of contemporary African life. His films weave intimate human stories with broader questions of politics, place and society, creating nuanced portraits of individuals and communities navigating social and cultural change.

The Director in Focus programme, presented annually as part of Sharjah Film Platform, highlights the legacy and artistic vision of an influential filmmaker through screenings of significant works, often accompanied by talks and discussions that offer deeper insight into their practice. Previous editions have featured the filmographies of Moufida Tlatli, Mohamad Malas, Safi Faye, Jocelyn Saab and Michel Khleifi. This year’s programme turns to Sissako’s body of work, inviting audiences to engage with the themes, formal approaches and human concerns that shape his cinema.

The selected films span different moments in Sissako’s career. Bamako (2006) follows bar singer Melé and her recently unemployed husband, Chaka, as their relationship comes under strain, while a trial held in the courtyard of their shared home examines the impact of the World Bank and IMF on Africa’s economic development and the everyday lives of the city’s residents. Timbuktu (2014), which received widespread international recognition, tells the story of Kidane, a cattle herder whose peaceful life with his family is upended when he accidentally kills a fisherman and must face the harsh and repressive laws imposed by the occupying forces in Mali. In Black Tea (2024), Sissako turns to questions of migration, cultural exchange and belonging through the tale of a young Ivorian woman who begins a new life in China. Together, the films reflect the breadth of the director’s practice and his sustained interest in the intersections of personal experience and larger historical and political forces.

The screening of Timbuktu will be preceded by a special Director in Focus masterclass led by Sissako, who will share insights into his approach to storytelling, the relationship between cinema and society, and the creative processes that have shaped his work over more than 30 years.

Director in Focus Masterclass
Date: 7 November 2026
Time: 6:30–7:30 pm
Venue: Gallery 4, Al Mureijah Square, Sharjah

Through the Director in Focus programme, Sharjah Film Platform continues its commitment to presenting significant cinematic practices and creating opportunities for audiences to engage with filmmakers whose work has shaped contemporary film culture.

Organised by Sharjah Art Foundation, SFP9 is made possible with the generous support of VOX Cinemas, Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, Air Arabia, Alef Group, ARADA, University of Sharjah, NYU Abu Dhabi, Zayed University, American University of Sharjah and University of the Arts Sharjah.

Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) is an annual festival of independent cinema and experimental filmmaking where audiences can discover new approaches to film and art. The 10-day event—which includes a range of regional and international films, talks by filmmakers and industry professionals, workshops and gatherings—is centred around Mirage City Cinema, the open-air theatre in Sharjah’s historical quarter.

Organised by Sharjah Art Foundation, SFP foregrounds recent cinematic achievements by international filmmakers and artists, noteworthy classics from around the region as well as experimental films that challenge the idea of what film practice is today.

Sharjah Art Foundation is an advocate, catalyst and producer of contemporary art within the Emirate of Sharjah and the surrounding region, in dialogue with the international arts community. The Foundation advances an experimental and wide-ranging programmatic model that supports the production and presentation of contemporary art, preserves and celebrates the distinct culture of the region and encourages a shared understanding of the transformational role of art. The Foundation's core initiatives include the long-running Sharjah Biennial, featuring contemporary artists from around the world; the annual March Meeting, a convening of international arts professionals and artists; grants and residencies for artists, curators and cultural producers; ambitious and experimental commissions and a range of travelling exhibitions and scholarly publications.

Established in 2009 to expand programmes beyond the Sharjah Biennial, which launched in 1993, the Foundation is a critical resource for artists and cultural organisations in the Gulf and a conduit for local, regional and international developments in contemporary art. The Foundation's deep commitment to developing and sustaining the cultural life and heritage of Sharjah is reflected through year-round exhibitions, performances, screenings and educational programmes in the city of Sharjah and across the Emirate, often hosted in historic buildings that have been repurposed as cultural and community centres. A growing collection reflects the Foundation's support of contemporary artists in the realisation of new work and its recognition of the contributions made by pioneering modern artists from the region and around the world.

Sharjah Art Foundation is a legally independent public body established by Emiri Decree and supported by government funding, grants from national and international nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. Hoor Al Qasimi serves as President and Director. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. 

Sharjah is the third largest of the seven United Arab Emirates, and the only one bridging the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Reflecting the deep commitment to the arts, architectural preservation and cultural education embraced by its ruler, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. It was named UNESCO's Arab Capital of Culture for 1998 and the UNESCO World Book Capital for 2019.

Joseph De la Cerna
joseph@sharjahart.org
+971 (0)6 5444113