Sharjah Film Platform Returns This Fall

The highly anticipated eighth edition of Sharjah Film Platform (SFP8) is set to return this fall from November 14 to 23, 2025, offering audiences a compelling roster of independent and experimental films, including several UAE premieres.

Screenings will take place at the Mirage City Cinema, Al Mureijah Square, and additional select venues across Sharjah.

As part of the Sharjah Art Foundation’s autumn 2025 season, the event sits alongside other key cultural highlights like Perform Sharjah and Focal Point art book fair, underscoring the institution’s vibrant, multidisciplinary programming.

This year’s program features internationally acclaimed films that have already made waves on the global festival circuit. Among the highlights is On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024) by Zambian filmmaker Rungano Nyoni, a Cannes award-winning black comedy drama.

The film follows a family grappling with long-buried secrets that surface after an unexpected death, weaving humor and tragedy into a powerful narrative.

Another standout title is Universal Language (2024) by Canadian director Matthew Rankin, an absurdist comedy set in an alternate universe where Winnipeg and Tehran merge.

The film interweaves three stories, employing a visual style that pays homage to the 1970s Iranian New Wave, creating a surreal yet thought-provoking cinematic experience.

Also on the lineup is L’mina (2025) by Moroccan filmmaker Randa Maroufi, a poetic short film exploring the fading industrial legacy of Jerada, a once-thriving mining town. This visually striking piece earned the Leitz Cine Discovery Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, cementing Maroufi’s reputation as a rising voice in contemporary cinema.

SFP8 continues the Foundation’s commitment to showcasing bold, boundary-pushing cinema in intimate and accessible settings.

Festival-goers can expect an immersive cinematic experience, featuring films nominated by an international committee and contending for the prestigious Sharjah Film Platform Awards.

This festival remains one of the region’s most dynamic showcases for emerging voices in film and moving image. Cinephiles can book their tickets here.