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"Sharjah Arts" and "New York Abu Dhabi" Organize "Montage: Sharjah Film Platform"
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A scene from the film "Loris Never Cries"
Sharjah Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Film and New Media Program, is hosting the "Montage: Sharjah Film Platform" initiative on May 3 and 4, 2025. The event will showcase a selection of award-winning films from the seventh edition of the Sharjah Film Platform in the auditorium at NYU Abu Dhabi.
This initiative aims to attract a new audience by screening outside of Sharjah and to foster new connections with the participating cinematic works. On May 3, the platform will screen "Crime Scene Watch" (2023), directed by Alana Hunt. This short documentary, shot on Super 8 camera, offers a glimpse into the lives of non-Indigenous residents in Miroong, northwest Australia. It highlights colonization not only as a historical phenomenon but as an ongoing reality of violence that extends into the present, revealing tools and techniques of suppression used by authorities through themes like dams, historical landmarks, agriculture, tourism, police stations, tortured bodies, and bureaucracy.
Following this, the long documentary "Coconut Head Generation" (2023), directed by Alan Casinda, tells the story of Nigerian university students who transform their film club into a space for political and intellectual resistance—challenging stereotypes about their generation and reclaiming their right to critical thought.
On May 4, the platform will present two feature films: "After" (2024), directed by Maha Al-Hajj, a short film portraying a secluded couple trying to deal with life choices for their children after a personal tragedy; and the full-length "Loris Never Cries" (2024), directed by Fam Ngoc Lan, where the protagonist confronts ghosts from her past while fearing her niece might repeat the same mistakes, weaving the story from the present and echoes from Vietnam's history.
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About Sharjah Arts Foundation
Sharjah Arts Foundation attracts a wide spectrum of contemporary arts and cultural programs to activate the artistic movement within the local community in Sharjah, UAE, and across the region. It aims to inspire creative talents, produce distinctive and experimental visual arts, and foster dialogue with diverse cultural and civilizational identities, reflecting the richness and multiculturalism of the local environment. The Foundation’s core initiatives include the Sharjah Biennial, March Meeting, the Artist Residency Program, Education Programs, Production Programs, exhibitions, research, and publications, alongside an expanding collection of artworks. Its public and educational programs focus on emphasizing the essential role of arts in community life by promoting arts education and interactive approaches.
About the Center for the Arts
The Center for the Arts hosts performances that challenge traditional definitions in music, theater, dance, cinema, and multidisciplinary arts. It offers audiences exceptional works by renowned artists from around the world, alongside pieces created by students, faculty, and staff at NYU Abu Dhabi. The center relies on resources from NYU Abu Dhabi to create an environment that encourages research, exploration, knowledge-seeking, and sharing with both visitors and artists.
NYU Abu Dhabi:
NYU Abu Dhabi features the Middle East's first comprehensive liberal arts and sciences campus administered from abroad by a prestigious American research university. The Times Higher Education ranked NYU among the top 30 universities globally, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest-ranked university in the UAE and the MENA region. It offers an intensely selective core curriculum across disciplines, coupled with a global hub for advanced research and academic studies. The university enables students in science, engineering, social sciences, arts, and humanities to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world, fostering collaboration and progress on common global challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi students come from over 120 countries and speak more than 100 languages. NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of this unique global university, providing faculty and students opportunities to experience diverse learning environments and immerse themselves in multiple cultures at over 60 study-abroad sites worldwide.
