FUNN Establishment – Sharjah Media Arts for Youth and Children – has confirmed that Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival, SICFF, will feature seven regional premieres this year by award-winning directors from around the world.

The filmmakers include an Oscar recipient and a Grand Jury Prize winner at the EQUUS Film Festival in New York, adding an extra-special dimension to the most successful event of its kind in the Middle East.

With an unprecedented 124 films from 31 countries participating at SICFF 2017, which runs from 8th to 13th October at Sharjah’s Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, the premieres will offer audiences an exclusive insight into the latest works from some of the industry’s most respected indie directors.

The mix of themes includes thought-provoking stories about families, war, identity, friendship, dreams and social dilemmas. The common thread is that they are ultimately uplifting as children overcome harsh issues in times of trouble, and find that no crisis is unbeatable and no gap too vast to bridge.

Castille Landon’s ‘Albion: The Enchanted Stallion,’ which is the opening movie of SICFF, tells the story of Ivy, a teenage girl who is transported by a magical black stallion to the mystical world of Albion, where she discovers that she alone is the key to saving an entire race of people. Starring John Cleese, Debra Messing, Jennifer Morrison and Stephen Dorf, the film has received outstanding reviews.

Twenty-six-year-old Landon is the youngest director to screen a premiere at the 2017 festival. ‘Albion: The Enchanted Stallion’ received 93 percent in audience evaluation when it was screened in Bentonville Film Festival before being awarded the Grand Jury Prize for the Best Feature Film at EQUUS Film Festival in New York.

The FUNN Establishment aims to nurture future generations of creative artists in media and film and promote new works made by the UAE’s young filmmakers at international film festivals and workshops. Its larger goal is to foster talent through events locally and internationally and to form a close-knit network of talented young people who can share experiences and expertise on a global scale.