Sharjah Art Foundation to host courses exploring cinema as part of Sharjah Film Platform 9

Sharjah Art Foundation’s learning programme for Sharjah Film Platform 9 (SFP9) presents an opportunity to explore cinema as a form of artistic expression, critical inquiry and historical reflection. Open to those aged 18 and above, the programme brings together filmmakers and educators for a series of courses and a masterclass.

Participants will engage with the language of film, develop their storytelling skills and consider how moving images shape our understanding of people, places and histories through theoretical discussions and practical exercises.

All courses are conducted in English, except for the Director in Focus Masterclass, which is conducted in French with Arabic and English translation.

Programme Schedule

Become a Film Critic
23–25 October 2026 | 6:00 pm–8:00 pm
The Flying Saucer, Dasman, Sharjah

Led by Bentley Brown, filmmaker and Assistant Professor, American University of Sharjah, this course explores film analysis and critical writing, guiding participants in developing their own approaches to interpreting and writing about cinema through selected SFP9 screenings.

From Concept to Script
31 October–1 November 2026 | 10:00 am–12:00 pm
The Flying Saucer, Dasman, Sharjah

In this course, filmmaker Abdulrahman Al Madani explores the process of developing ideas into compelling short-film narratives, from character development and storytelling to the treatment of sensitive subjects and social themes.

Documentary and Representation
7–8 November 2026 | 10:00 am–12:00 pm
The Flying Saucer, Dasman, Sharjah

Filmmaker and museum storyteller Mahmoud Kaabour leads this course on authorship, consent and ethics in documentary filmmaking, with a focus on the dilemmas that arise when filming family members.

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

Abderrahmane Sissako, the SFP9 Director in Focus, shares insights into his practice, weaving intimate human stories with broader questions of politics, place and society. Three of his films—Bamako (2006), Timbuktu (2014) and Black Tea (2024)—will also be screened as part of SFP9.

Memory, History and Film Archives
20–22 November 2026 | 6:00 pm–9:00 pm
The Flying Saucer, Dasman, Sharjah

Rashmi Devi Sawhney, Associate Arts Professor of Film and New Media at New York University Abu Dhabi, examines how moving images and archives shape collective memory. Participants will explore questions of historical visibility and omission as well as the possibilities of recovering overlooked narratives.

Together, the SFP9 learning programme offers participants multiple ways to engage with cinema, encouraging critical reflection on how films are made, whose stories are told and how images influence our understanding of history and identity.

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