‘Atlas of the Universe’ Wins Top Prize as Sharjah Youth Film Festival Debuts Audience Award

Sharjah Youth Film Festival Crowns ‘Atlas of the Universe’ Best Feature

The 13th Sharjah Intl. Film Festival for Children and Youth wrapped on Sunday with a clear leader. Paul Negoescu’s “Atlas of the Universe” took best feature film. Meanwhile, Celia Catunda’s “My Grandfather Is a Nihonjin” won best animated feature. Together, the two winners set the tone for a festival built around young audiences.

Top Prizes Celebrate Journeys of Identity

“Atlas of the Universe” is a Romanian-Bulgarian coming-of-age drama about a 10-year-old boy. His errand to buy school shoes turns into a journey toward independence. Jurors described the film as “the essence of this festival.”

The animated winner takes a different route to a similar theme. “My Grandfather Is a Nihonjin” follows a Japanese-Brazilian boy as he explores his family history and cultural identity. The jury recognized its treatment of tradition and “the difficulty of starting a new life in a foreign place.”

Both films center on young characters who search for their place in the world. As a result, the awards reflect the festival’s focus on stories that speak directly to children and teenagers. Furthermore, the winners come from very different film traditions, which underlines the event’s international reach.

Documentary and Short Film Winners

Saudi filmmaker Areej Alghamdi won best documentary with “The Path of Memory, Between the Lands of Jasmine and Basil.” The film explores cultural memory and heritage through a young girl and her mother. In the short categories, Shweta Parakh and Rakesh E Nair won best international short for “Little Big Dreams.” The film follows a girl in Ladakh, India, who uses a wheelchair and is determined to pursue her education and be seen with “pride rather than pity.” The jury praised it for portraying “resilience, friendship and the power of the human spirit.”

The Emirati entry also earned a prize. Abdulrahman Al Madani’s “Oug” took best Arabic short. The film follows a childless couple who confront family pressure and gendered blame surrounding infertility. Consequently, the festival’s home region left with a notable win in a category close to its audience.

First Audience Award Goes to a Stray Dog’s Story

The festival also introduced something new this year. Thai narrative feature “Gohan” won the inaugural Audience Award. Chayanop Bunprakob, Baz Poonpiriya and Atta Hemwadee directed the film. It follows a stray dog through the lives of three owners over more than a decade.

In addition, “Gohan” received a special mention from the feature film jury. That double recognition shows how the film connected with both viewers and judges. Therefore, the first Audience Award arrives with a winner that appealed on two fronts.

Full List of Other Winners

The remaining prizes spread across several categories. South Korea’s “The Monster” won best child and youth-made film. Likewise, “Raeda” took best student-made short. Among animated work, “Fellow” won best student short animation, and “The Great Dreamscape” earned best animation short.

Finally, the Saudi documentary “Marjooj” received a special mention. Taken together, the list shows how many entries came from young creators themselves. Indeed, several categories specifically honor work made by children and students.

A Festival by the Numbers

This year’s edition screened 71 films from 38 countries. Organizers selected them from 1,802 submissions from 72 countries. Italy served as Country of Honor. As a result, the program offered a broad view of global cinema for young viewers.

Building a Pipeline, Not Just a Festival

Beyond the prizes, this year’s edition reflected the festival’s growing focus on industry development, regional connections and greater participation from young audiences. In particular, organizers continued to expand the ways young people can take part beyond watching films. In other words, the event aims to build a pipeline of future filmmakers, not only a screening schedule.

Coverage around the festival points to several steps in that direction. For example, the festival’s pitching platform doubled in size this year. In addition, Sharjah’s festival partnered with the UAE’s Media Authority in a push to assist emerging filmmakers. Emirati filmmakers also spoke about the work of building a local cinema ecosystem.

What the Results Signal

Taken together, the awards and the industry programs send a consistent message. The festival wants to show young people great films and also give them tools to make their own. However, the filmmakers’ comments on local cinema suggest the work is far from finished. Even so, a record of 1,802 submissions shows strong interest in what the festival offers.

The debut of the Audience Award adds a new voice to the process. Rather than leaving every decision to a jury, the festival now lets viewers pick a favorite. Consequently, young audiences have a direct stake in the outcome. With the 13th edition complete, the festival leaves behind a winners’ list that spans continents and a growing set of programs for the next generation of storytellers.