Xposure 2026 Expands Film Programme With 66 Screenings And Outdoor Cinema In Sharjah

Xposure 2026 places cinema at the heart of its 10th anniversary edition, turning the International Photography Festival into a wider platform for screen storytelling. From 29th January to 4th February 2026, Aljada in Sharjah hosts an expanded film programme, with curated screenings, headline conversations, workshops and a new outdoor cinema experience.

The festival is organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau under the theme "A Decade of Visual Storytelling". Across seven days, Xposure 2026 treats film as a central pillar of its cultural, educational, and professional agenda, bringing together filmmakers, producers and industry experts through talks, live sessions, screenings and awards.

At the core of the film programme are 66 curated screenings, selected to highlight diverse approaches to visual narrative. Xposure 2026 also introduces an outdoor cinema component at Aljada, extending screenings beyond indoor venues. This combination frames cinema as a public, shared experience while supporting the festival’s wider focus on visual culture and storytelling.

The Opening Ceremony integrates film directly into the festival’s first major event. It launches the programme with Visual Stories That Change Everything, a live on-stage conversation between media presenter Kris Fade and Sanford R. Climan. This discussion sets the editorial direction for how the festival examines cinema and its social impact.

Sanford R. Climan, CEO of Entertainment Media Ventures, brings long experience in studio filmmaking and global industry strategy. Climan has developed and produced major film and television projects and has served in senior advisory roles, including within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The session considers how visual storytelling shapes public understanding, empathy and cultural responsibility.

Xposure 2026 then broadens the discussion with a series of film-centred panels exploring cinema’s role in culture and influence. Studio executive and producer Glenn Gainor joins Oscar-winning producer Odessa Rae, known for The Voice of Hind Rajab. Their panel addresses cinema as soft power and looks at how films can influence public discourse across borders.

Xposure 2026 film programme, documentaries and investigative work

The programme highlights documentary craft through the participation of cinematographer Abraham Joffe, known for the Netflix documentary mini-series Our Oceans. Xposure 2026 hosts the UAE premiere of Trade Secret: You Thought They Were Protected, followed by a live discussion with journalist Adam Cruise, analysing investigative filmmaking, conservation storytelling and ethical responsibilities within documentary practice.

Professional development remains a major strand of Xposure 2026, supported by a set of paid film workshops led by internationally recognised filmmakers and practitioners. These practical sessions treat filmmaking as both creative art and career path, covering storytelling, performance, production and emerging technologies, while also addressing current shifts affecting the film industry worldwide.

World-renowned filmmaker, Oscar-winning Martin Desmond Roe leads an intensive multi-day workshop that guides participants through each stage of making a short film, from initial concept through to final edit. Other sessions in the wider workshop programme study artificial intelligence in film, links between screenwriting and performance, and the core principles of professional acting.

With inputs from WAM