SHARJAH – The sixth edition of the Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival (SICFF 2018), organized by FUNN, the Sharjah Media Arts for Youth and Children, will be hosting the famous ‘Jungle Book’ actor who played the role of ‘Mowgli.’ Indian-American Neel Sethi, who has established his stardom in the film industry, will be attending the festival which is held from October 14 – 19 at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (JRCC).
The 14-year-old actor, Neel Sethi, showcased his considerable acting skills while embodying the role of ‘Mowgli,’ a fictional character inspired by the Jungle Book, a collection of stories authored by Rudyard Kipling. In an interview at an international festival, Neel described his relationship with Mowgli, “I am stubborn and look like him in shape, and we have a lot in common.”
He explained that playing a character like Mowgli required considerable effort and high physical fitness as the story encompasses of dynamic scenes that he had to master. He commented that playing alongside internationally celebrated movie stars like Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, and others, especially at the beginning of his career, was the biggest source of pride for him.
Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book narrates the story of little Mowgli, a village boy who upon being lost alone in the jungle was found by a wolf mother and she raised him along with her litter in the Indian jungle. As time progressed, Mowgli befriended several animals from Baloo the Bear, Bagheera the Black Panther, the monkey, and many others. However, the main antagonist, Sher Khan the tiger, was the only animal who despised Mowgli. He awaited the right opportunity to inflict harm upon Mowgli. As Mowgli matured, he began to understand the ‘law of the jungle,’ and Kipling takes his audience on an adventurous journey along with myriad creatures of the jungle.
SICFF 2018 will be showcasing 138 films selected from a total of 500 films from 31 countries. 54 films from 17 countries will make its premiere in the Middle East, Gulf Region, and the UAE. The participating films cover several categories, including the Best Feature Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Animation Film, Best International Short Film, Best Student-Made Film, Best Short Arab Film, and the Best Child-Made Film.
The list of premieres includes 12 international, 34 Middle Eastern, 7 UAE, and 1 Gulf movies. SICFF 2018 will be organizing over 40 specialized workshops, conducted by a plethora of internationally acclaimed industry experts. The festival will host a diverse range of interactive sessions dedicated to addressing the most important details about making films. The sessions will also examine issues related to changes and transformations in the industry and highlight challenges that producers, filmmakers, and professionals experience in movie making.
Organized by FUNN annually in October, SICFF, which was launched in 2013, aims to foster the creative talents of children and youths and promote their work at home and abroad. The festival is dedicated to engaging children and young people with their peers across the globe. SICFF plays a vital role in bringing international films and new media content by exposing children and young people in the region to world cultures. It seeks to promote peace, tolerance and global understanding of how people from different cultures, religions, and back, sounds can live together peacefully and equally.
FUNN aims to nurture a future generation of creative artists in media and film industry and promotes new media works and films made by children and young filmmakers in the UAE at international film festivals and conferences worldwide. Its larger goal is to foster talent through these festivals, conferences, and workshops locally and internationally. FUNN aims to form a close-knit network of talented young people who can share experiences and expertise on a global scale.
