Al Qasba—the premiere tourist, cultural and entertainment destination in the Emirate of Sharjah—launched, in association with the ‘Swiss Art Gate’, a new film club for children aged from 6-12 years old. Known as ‘The Magic Lantern’, the film club will offer the children the pleasure of watching the greatest films in a real cinema atmosphere. Organizers of the club say that a wide selection of new films and older classics will be shown every month gathering children from all over the UAE to independently experience their emotions and develop their critical thinking and interaction with the cinema world.

Showing its second movie, ‘Chicken Run’, on Saturday (December 18th at 5:30 pm), ‘The Magic Lantern’ is the 21st Century version of the old Saturday Morning Film Clubs, which allow children to explore the feelings of laughter, sadness and fear in a safe environment with friends of the same age. The venue is supervised by a team of responsible adults, who welcome the children before each show, chat with them about the film and their expectations.

“The idea behind the new film club is to give the space for children who love watching films to experience the true feelings a movie theatre provides, says Dina Al Nakhi, Events Manager at Al Qasba. “The children will be able to enjoy their favorite movies on a huge screen, experience their own feelings with each film, and most importantly becoming more aware of movie scenes while developing their critic techniques. With The Magic Lantern, children develop into discerning and critical viewers able to enjoy films more fully.”

Before each show, The Magic Lantern members are sent a little magazine to inform them about the upcoming program. In the cinema, children are welcomed by presenters, chatting with them about the film and their expectations, and before the screening, a little sketch is performed highlighting certain aspects of the film’s story or of cinema history, or explaining cinematic techniques. The Magic Lantern views children as real audience: demanding and critical, yet always ready to be amazed.

Membership fees have been set for only AED 100 a year (AED 75 for each additional child within the same family). Members can attend six shows a year between September and June, each time receiving by mail a magazine and enjoying a live stage show and a great film. A new program is prepared for each season offering a fresh selection of films to enrich the diversity of cinematic experience.
 

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