Hollywood child star Jacob Tremblay led the way for the opening of the Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival on Sunday, which will see 124 films from 31 countries screen in the emirate this week.
The Room star spoke about his love for acting at the opening ceremony held at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre, saying: “I love acting — I was acting before I could walk or talk... One thing I have learnt as a child actor is that you need support. You need support from your parents as they are the ones that have to take you to castings and you need support from your agent so that you can land good roles. Acting is hard work. The days are long and some of the roles are emotionally draining.
“You won’t get every role you audition for, but that’s why I’m here in beautiful Sharjah today — because I didn’t give up,” he added.
The 11-year-old shot into the spotlight in 2015 playing Jack Newsome in Room, a role for which he won the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer; Tremblay was also nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role.
The event was inaugurated by Shaikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, with Shaikha Jawaher Bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, Director of FUNN (Sharjah Media Arts for Youth and Children) and SICFF, Emirati director Ali Mustafa and Ayman Jamal, Founder and Managing Partner of Barajoun Entertainment that produced the animated film Bilal, also in attendance.
SICFF runs until October 13, with screenings at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre and Novo Cinemas, Sahara Centre.
This year’s edition of the festival will also hold more than 40 training workshops covering an array of topics on cinema and the visual arts, which will continue at locations in Sharjah up until November 16.
