The Sharjah Intl. Film Festival for Children and Youth is adding a federal partner to its push to build a more substantial and sustainable pipeline for emerging filmmakers. The organization behind the festival signed an agreement with the UAE’s recently established National Media Authority covering areas from film screening procedures to training and technical support.
The memorandum of understanding was signed Monday on the opening day of SIFF’s 13th edition by the National Media Authority and FANN – Media Discovery Platform, the Sharjah organization that runs the festival and whose name derives from the Arabic word for “art.” The agreement makes the authority an official supporting partner of SIFF while establishing broader cooperation between the two organizations.
The partnership comes as SIFF increasingly looks beyond screenings and workshops to the practical hurdles facing young filmmakers trying to enter the industry. Ahead of the festival, SIFF director Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi told Variety that learning to make a film represents only one part of that journey.
“Our agreement with the National Media Authority reflects this commitment,” Al Qasimi said Monday. “It is an important step in bringing together national efforts to support the film industry and help emerging filmmakers turn their ideas and perspectives into creative work.”
The new agreement addresses another piece of that infrastructure. The National Media Authority will help facilitate permits required to screen participating films, coordinating, where necessary, with embassies, consulates, cultural organizations and government entities. Festival teams will also receive training on the authority’s electronic services and technical support intended to streamline regulatory procedures.
The agreement comes during a period of restructuring for the UAE’s media landscape. Established by federal decree in December 2025, the National Media Authority took over functions previously held by the UAE Media Council, National Media Office and Emirates News Agency, bringing media regulation and development under a single federal body. Its mandate includes media policy and legislation, licensing and content standards.
“Supporting content created for children and youth is an important part of our strategy to develop a competitive and sustainable national media sector,” National Media Authority secretary-general Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi said Monday.
For FANN, the agreement adds a federal institution to an ecosystem Al Qasimi has argued must extend beyond the festival itself. SIFF’s expanding Industry Hub and pitching program are designed to connect filmmakers with producers, supporters and funders, with the aim of turning introductions into financing, production support and longer-term collaborations.
The agreement also allows National Media Authority representatives to participate in festival juries and film evaluations, while the two organizations will collaborate on SIFF’s media and communications activities.
SIFF runs through Nov. 1, with 71 films from 38 countries in its selection.