Overview
Sharjah Art Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the Short Film Production Grant, part of the Foundation’s annual Sharjah Film Platform (SFP), which supports filmmaking in the region and around the world. Filmmakers Nadira Amrani (b. 1993, Manchester, UK) and Soha Shukayr (b. 1989, Baljarshi, Saudi Arabia), along with Pelin Tan and Anton Vidokle (b. 1974, Hilden, Germany; b. 1965, Moscow, Russia), will share a total of 30,000 USD to support the creation of original short films. All three films will be shown at future editions of the Sharjah Film Platform as part of the screening programme, with Shukayr presenting her film at the third edition of SFP from 14 to 21 November 2020 and Amrani and the duo Tan and Vidokle presenting their films at the 2021 edition.
Selected from more than 500 submissions from over 65 countries, the three films awarded the Short Film Production Grant depict courageous female characters addressing social, political and philosophical challenges that are exceedingly relevant in today’s world.
Set during the 2019 protests in Beirut, Soha Shukayr’s film, In the Time of Revolution, deals with modern-day struggles and corruption from the perspective of her female lead. In She Who Saw the Deep, set in the Kurdish community in Turkey, collaborators Pelin Tan and Anton Vidokle reimagine the mythical hero Gilgamesh as a female character to address themes of immortality, urbanity and agriculture as well as the future of humanity. Nadira Amrani’s film Hajja, based on the true story of an Algerian shopkeeper’s search for his missing 73-year-old mother, penetrates boundaries and brings a fresh perspective to discussions about borders and identity.
The annual SFP festival also features an initiative connecting talent with film industry professionals, offering them a hub through which they can find collaborators for future projects, exchange ideas and receive valuable feedback. A rich programme of talks and workshops led by renowned filmmakers will also be presented. Additional information on the third edition of SFP will be available in late 2020.