Sharjah to host first-ever animation conference

The first Sharjah Animation Conference will be held as part of the 14th annual Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival and will run from May 3 -5. Photo: Sharjah Animation Conference

Sharjah is set to host its first event dedicated to animation.

Sharjah Animation Conference, which will be held from May 3 to 5, will give fans of the genre and professionals in the field the opportunity to learn, network and watch industry leaders and Oscar winners discuss the craft of animation.

“Animation lovers in the UAE and beyond are in for a spectacular treat,” said Khoula Al Mujaini, the executive director of SAC.

“At the three-day Sharjah Animation Conference, they will enter the fascinating world of animation and get behind the scenes to learn so much about what brings these iconic and timeless characters to life.”

SAC 2023 will include a series of workshops, masterclasses, film screenings, networking events with publishers and producers, and other leaders in the animation industry. The focus of the event will be on the art of writing, languages, themes, production techniques and technologies within animated cinema.

Film story artist John Nevarez of Disney’s Oscar-winning animated film Coco will be at the Sharjah Animation Conference. Photo: Disney

Artists who are scheduled to be at the festival include John Nevarez, the film story artist of Disney’s Coco, which won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature; Sandro Cleuzo, animator and character designer of Mary Poppins Returns, starring Emily Blunt; and Takahiro Yoshimatsu, animator and director of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z.

“Our intention is for Sharjah to become the animation capital of the Arab world, attracting professionals and young people from all over the Middle East,” added Pietro Pinetti, the festival's artistic director.

“A platform like SAC presents a great new opportunity for enabling exchange between the Arab and western worlds, particularly here in Sharjah, which has been investing in culture and young people for a long time.”

There is growing interest in all forms of animation, which was a focal point at this year’s Middle East Film and Comic Con. The annual event in March recorded its biggest turnout to date, with more than 35,000 visitors attending the event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

MBC Group also recently announced the launch of a new hub dedicated to the licensing, commissioning, promotion and production of anime content in the region. And in November of last year, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority announced the reboot of the popular Emirati Arabic language cartoon series Mansour, which has more than two billion views on YouTube to date.

SAC 2023 will be held as part of the 14th annual Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, running between May 3 – 14.