Italian Culture Takes Centre Stage at Sharjah Film Festival

The 13th edition of Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth honoured Italy with a day of immersive cultural experiences, from cinema and live performance to workshops in traditional crafts and filmmaking.

On the closing days of its 13th edition, the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth marked Italian Day with a kaleidoscope of cultural activities that wove together cinema, performance, craft and culinary tradition. Organised by FANN—Media Discovery Platform, the celebration reflected the festival’s broader commitment to introducing young audiences to the creative achievements of cultures beyond their own, offering not merely observation but genuine participation and creative exchange.

The programme unfurled across two venues: VOX Cinemas at City Centre Al Zahia and the House of Wisdom. At the Green Carpet, audiences encountered the Middle East premiere of “Forever With You”, directed by Fabrizio Cattani, alongside screenings of “Atlas of the Universe” and the animated work “Tales From the Magic Garden”. These films sat alongside selections created by children and young filmmakers themselves, weaving together professional vision and emerging voices in a single artistic conversation.

The House of Wisdom became a laboratory of Italian creativity. The La Dolce Vita Show brought theatricality and movement to the space, while the “Colombina Masks with an Italian Touch” workshop introduced visitors to traditional theatrical masks and their use in conveying character and emotion. Visitors learned to construct and paint ceramic coasters, each one a small canvas for personal expression. Two workshops centred on Italian cuisine offered hands-on experience in shaping semolina pasta and assembling tiramisu, connecting the technical skill and cultural knowledge embedded in Italy’s culinary traditions.

For young storytellers and aspiring filmmakers, the festival offered insight into the mechanics of visual narrative. The “Film Strip” workshop explored how sequences of images carry meaning and emotion, while “From Idea to Screen: How to Start Creating Your Content” guided participants through the process of transforming an idea into visual form. These sessions recognised that filmmaking, like all sustained creative work, rests on learnable skills and deliberate practice.

The breadth of this programming reflected a philosophy that cinema education extends beyond screening rooms. By inviting young people to make, perform, cook, paint and create, the festival treated culture not as a collection of finished objects to admire from a distance, but as a living practice in which anyone might participate. Italy’s artistic heritage, in this context, became a catalyst for young people’s own creative discovery.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth continues to position the Emirates as a centre for cultural exchange and youth development. As we reported in our earlier coverage, SIFF’s 13th edition celebrates its commitment to championing young voices through international and Arab cinema, creating platforms for emerging filmmakers alongside celebrations of established cinematic traditions.

The festival’s emphasis on hands-on creative experience reflects a vision of cultural development that values participation over passivity. By bringing Italian artistic practice to Emirati audiences through interactive workshops and live performance, SIFF strengthens the region’s role as a destination where young people encounter new creative possibilities and develop skills that serve their own artistic ambitions.

Source: WAM