Films prepare kids to face life: Jawaher
sharjah — Cinema shapes young minds; the ones that are made responsibly, protects them from being misled or misinformed, according to Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, director of Sharjah International Children Film Festival (SICFF) and FUNN.
In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Sheikha Jawaher said: “When our children learn to think, question, learn and critically analyse, we will have taken the first step towards a better future for them and the world.
While answering a question about the role of cinema in protecting the children from abuse, she said that without risking children’s mental wellbeing or exposing them to harsh truths, we must use the medium of film to advocate children’s rights and more specifically, promote awareness of, and prevent, child abuse.
She said: “We must give them a chance to be inspired by the selfless heroes in movies who stop at nothing in their pursuit to bring justice and dignity to people who suffer endlessly.
“Who knows, tomorrow they may want to assume a similar role? This summarises the power of cinema and its significant contribution in forming and influencing people’s attitudes and behaviour, especially the youth.
“That’s why movies made for children and young adults that portray the sufferings of young refugees stuck in conflict, driven away from their homes and separated from parents represent one of the main themes in the upcoming SICFF.
She added: “As a mother, I want my children and all other children in the UAE to learn to count their blessings, respect the opportunities and privileges they enjoy in this country and think twice before they take anything for granted.”
The list of films also include movies that would contribute significantly in forming the children and youth attitudes and behaviour and prepare them to become influencing future leaders.
When asked how humanitarian issues and messages can be portrayed in children’s cinema in ways that will resonate with their intellect and understanding, Sheikha Jawaher said: “To this important question, my answer is film can have a key role in education and that is the reason SICFF has been striving for six years to place it at the heart of young people’s learning experiences in the UAE. Movies are part of human culture; one of the most powerful audio-visual mediums of creative expression, that connects us to the world and informs us about things we probably wouldn’t otherwise come across.
But how children cinema can contribute to political socialisation of children to become leader in the future?
“As parents, educators and responsible governments, it is imperative that we introduce our young populace to the realities of the world and guide them as they shape their beliefs and opinions.
“Building a culture of sharing and transparency rather than withholding should be a collective responsibility, especially when it comes to issues related to people’s suffering. Withholding information does not just hide the truth but also somehow relieves us of a necessary sense of responsibility.”
Fearless dreamers
Sheikha Jawaher added that children are fearless dreamers; they are passionate and ever so curious to learn about everything that surrounds them. “With the availability of information at our fingertips through rapid digitisation of news and media, our children are more exposed than any generation before them was, to the happening around them. This poses before us, the grown-ups, a big challenge to handpick the right, age appropriate content and resources to educate them. In this respect, I believe the world has struck gold with the creation and promotion of children’s cinema.
“We cannot let that happen. Peace will remain as a Utopia until the generation that will take over the world tomorrow do not understand its true value, and do not have the mental makeup to act as its proponents through a variety of thought and action. Empathy towards their suffering peers worldwide and respect for the rights of other people are essential to help our children build responsible nations that coexist in harmony.”
Without risking children’s mental wellbeing or exposing them to harsh truths, we must use the medium of film to advocate children’s rights and more specifically, promote awareness of, and prevent, child abuse.”
Sheikha Jawaher bint Abdullah
Al Qasimi, director, SICFF