Sharjah Art Foundation Reveals Winners Of Film Platform 7 Awards

The Sharjah Art Foundation has revealed the winners of the Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) Awards, recognising excellence in four categories: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short, Fiction Feature, and Fiction Short. This year's nominees were selected by an international panel of filmmakers, showcasing diverse films from regions such as Bhutan, Rwanda, Nigeria, Colombia, Bahrain, and Palestine.

Films in the competition were evaluated by a global jury to determine the award recipients. The Best Documentary Feature Film award went to "Coconut Head Generation" (2023), directed by Alain Kassanda. This film reclaims a derogatory term for youth and highlights students' fight for intellectual freedom in France and Nigeria.

"Surveilling A Crime Scene" (2024), directed by Alana Hunt from Australia, won Best Documentary Short Film. Shot on Super 8mm film, it explores the ongoing impact of colonisation on non-Indigenous people in Miriwoong Country. The Honourable Mention for Documentary Feature was awarded to "From Ground Zero" (2024), supervised by Rashid Masharawi. This feature from Palestine and the UAE comprises 22 short films that capture daily life through various artistic expressions in Gaza.

The Best Fiction Feature Film accolade was given to "Cu Li Never Cries" (2024), directed by Phạm Ngọc Lân. This film intertwines Vietnamese history with contemporary narratives across Vietnam, Singapore, France, the Philippines, and Norway. Meanwhile, "Upshot" (2024) by Maha Haj received the Best Fiction Short Film award. It tells the story of Suleiman and Lubna's retreat to a farm after a tragic loss.

"Oasis of Now" (2023), directed by Chia Chee Sum from Malaysia, Singapore, and France, received an Honourable Mention in the Fiction Feature category. The film depicts a mother-daughter reunion in an old Kuala Lumpur apartment complex where reality blurs with dreams during their secret meetings.

The seventh edition of the Sharjah Film Platform took place from 15 to 24 November 2024 at Mirage City Cinema and VOX Cinemas in Sharjah. Alongside screenings, public programmes explored themes like modernity in African and Asian cinema and innovations in documentary filmmaking.

This year's programme also delved into cinema as a form of resistance and resilience from Palestine and beyond. These events provided learning opportunities for attendees while fostering discussions on contemporary issues in filmmaking.

With inputs from WAM