The Sharjah Art Foundation announced the winners of the first edition of the Feature Film Support Fund grant within the Sharjah Film Platform. The AED 500,000 grant was equally divided between directors Annemarie Jacir for her film “Palestine 36” and Mohammad Walid Ali for his film “Colored Sweets.”

“Palestine 36,” officially nominated to represent Palestine at this year’s Oscars, tells the story of a young man named Youssef who experiences the political unrest in the streets of Jerusalem and Jaffa during the 1936 uprising against colonial rule, one of the largest and longest anti-colonial revolts against the British Empire. The film is Annemarie Jacir’s most prominent project to date, featuring actors Hiam Abbass, Saleh Bakri, Yasmin Al Masri, and Jeremy Irons. It will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday.

The feature film “Colored Sweets” is Mohammad Walid Ali’s debut work, currently in production. It follows two siblings living in a remote village in Kashmir during the winter of 1995, who embark on a journey near Eid al-Fitr to taste the colored sweets they have only heard about in stories. The film is filled with laughter and wonder, telling a tender story of patience, poverty, and children’s resilience amid the 1990s conflict.

The grant jury included director Suhail Dahdal, award-winning media professor at the American University of Sharjah; director and screenplay consultant Soha Arraf, award winner; Talal Afifi, founder of Sudan Film Factory and head of the Sudan Independent Cinema Festival; and Nawar Al Qasimi, director of the Sharjah Art Foundation.

The jury unanimously decided to split the grant equally between the two films due to their urgent and impactful stories promising a lasting influence on Arab, Asian, and global cinema, distinguished by their significance, urgency, and tackling of pivotal questions of our time, along with the sharp and captivating artistic visions of their directors.

The jury statement said: “We believe in the importance of supporting Annemarie Jacir’s ‘Palestine 36’ as it revives a buried memory and restores the rightful narrative to its legitimate owners, especially in an era of censorship and propaganda against the Palestinian people. The feature film ‘Colored Sweets’ tells a touching story of children’s hope and joy amid conflict, resonating globally, especially due to its stunning cinematography and poetic scenic landscapes reflecting the director’s sensitivity, passion, and true love for cinema. We have full confidence in his exceptional talent and ability to deliver a powerful and expressive cinematic work.”