The past 12 months have seen FUNN - the Sharjah-based institution dedicated to promoting media arts among young people in Sharjah and the UAE - accomplish an array of significant achievements, with the organisation using 2017 to implement a spectrum of initiatives in keeping with its commitment to building a generation of promising and creative young filmmakers. Included in its successes over the last year were the promotion on a global scale of new artistic and innovative films from UAE children and young people through the showcasing of their work at international film festivals and conferences.

In 2017, FUNN curated an array of activities, events, workshops and festivals that opened up the world of film to young people and further enhanced Sharjah’s presence on the global stage. Attracting a large number of young artists and filmmakers to its events, FUNN organised a total of 75 art workshops throughout the year that addressed topics covering all aspects of the film industry, including, production, direction and evaluation.

Workshops to Hone Creative Skills:

Among the most significant workshops that FUNN organised in 2017 was the ‘Equine Photography for Special Needs’ workshop, which saw participating children and young adults learning basic photography alongside equestrian skills. The youngsters attending were introduced to a specially-designed equine therapy model, which is recognised as an effective tool to help promote emotional growth, build confidence and enable better social integration. The institution played a vital role in helping the attendees hone their creative skills, providing them with full mentorship and support throughout.

FUNN’s specialised workshop ‘Poster Design’ provided talented young people with the opportunity to learn and develop the artistic skills that will serve them well in the world of filmmaking and digital and media arts. The session helped them enhance their capabilities in modern media arts and learn the basics of poster design, in particular film posters, with the aim of developing their graphic skills.

The ‘Film Evaluation’ workshop hosted by FUNN educated participants on the evaluation and analysis of filmmakers’ productions, as well as selected the winning entry to the Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival (SICFF) in the ‘Best Child-made Film’ category.

The FUNN-tastic Spring Camp featured an art workshop on ‘Stop-motion’ that addressed the basics and principles of this type of technique, including the methods deployed to combine different freeze-frame snapshots of actors into one single frame to produce moving images. The workshop also addressed the importance of properly editing footage to ensure the harmonious movement of actors.

Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival (SICFF):

The tangible outcomes of FUNN’s 2017 workshops were exemplified at the fifth edition of SICFF, which was organised by FUNN and which featured a total of 124 films over six days and 70 directors from 31 countries. More than 25,000 visitors engaged with the festival’s seven categories; ‘Best Short GCC Film,’ ‘Best Student-made Film,’ ‘Best International Short Film,’ ‘Best Animation Film,’ ‘Best Documentary Film,’ ‘Best Feature Film’ and ‘Best Child-made Film.’

The festival further developed the expertise of film lovers, filmmakers and children in the world of visual arts and contributed to opening new horizons for those interested in the genre. In doing so, it prepared them to become immersed in the realities of filmmaking for the future.

SICFF’s fifth edition showcased a collection of films that reflected the diversity of cultures, interests and aesthetics of films. Seven films won the festival’s awards; Between Day & Night, directed by Antoni Malecki, Anna Bloem, Maaike Bloem and Filip Aleksanrowicz, won the award for the ‘Best Child Made Film’ category; Charlie's Buck Teeth, directed by Esther Lalanne, won the ‘Best Student Film’ award and Zaina's Cake, directed by Nada Almojadedi, won the ‘Best Short GCC Film’ award.

Riceballs, directed by Shingo Usami scooped the ‘Best International Film’ award, while The Pocket Man, directed by Ana Chubinidze, won the ‘Best Animation Film’ award. The ‘Best Documentary Film’ was won by Emilio Martí López for his film Hello – Marhaba, while the ‘Best Feature Film’ award went to The Day My Father Became a Bush, directed by Nicole van Kilsdonk.

FUNN was established in November 2012 under the patronage 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. FUNN is the emirate’s nucleus for the promotion of interest and excellence in media arts among children and youth in Sharjah and the UAE.

FUNN aims to nurture a future generation of creative artists in media and film and has a remit to promote new media works and films made by children and young filmmakers of the UAE. Its larger goal is to foster talent through these local and international festivals, conferences and workshops and to form a close-knit network of talented youths who can share experiences and expertise on a global scale.