She is a vision of charm and friendliness, but beneath the petite frame is a woman who leads with an iron will, strong ethics and a love for children.Welcoming us into her palatial childhood residence in Sharjah, Sheikha Jawaher is gracious and hospitable, sharing stories about her life and three children, her childhood and her love for books. “I went to Sharjah University and took MIT in the first year, but just couldn’t find myself in it,” she shares. It was her love for language that made her pursue a degree in English Literature, and with that she nurtured her passion for reading, writing stories and prose, eventually taking her first job at the age of 19 as an English teacher.
“My mother studied psychology and sociology at university, and this had a great impact on me, so when I got married and was trying for my first child, I discovered a course on Marriage and Family Therapy,”she shares. This decision led her to the University of San Diego in the USA, where she first experienced the stereotypical response from foreigners towards the Emirati culture and life in the UAE. “I’m glad I got a chance to break those stereotypes about Emirati women, how we live, and who we are as a nation,”she says. Drawn to the subject of human psychology, behaviour and relationships, it was a matter of destiny playing out when, upon her return to the UAE, she was offered the opportunity to head up the establishment of the first film festival in Sharjah, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.
"I joined at the end of 2011 and started from scratch with an initial plan. As a kickstart, we launched FANN and, under its umbrella, the Film Festival took off in 2013,” says Sheikha Jawaher, explaining how the initiative was to first promote and support the development of media arts for children. “I was aware that we were not just launching a film festival, but instead it was media literacy in so many ways.”Sheikha Jawaher spent almost five years observing the changes within communities, both regionally and internationally, as they came around to understand the impact of filmmaking, its ability to educate, shift mindsets, introduce new cultures, and talents from around the world to Sharjah. “Initially when I would travel to visit the Cannes Film Festival, no one knew about Sharjah, but now they know us, and they know about the festival,” she shares. From Jessica Chastain and Will Smith to Karisma Kapoor and Freddie Highmore to name just a few, celebrities have expressed a growing interest in the festival over the years.
After seven years of being a festival only for children, it now welcomes youth until the age of 30 from all over the world to participate via submissions or workshops. “When I look at the map, I try to ensure we have film entries from all over the globe coming in, because we never know what their stories and struggles are all about. We need to make sure we are doing things the right way, with great content and core structure to support young people,” she says. This year, the SIFF has introduced a junior jury of film critics, with participants aged between 12 to 20 joining in internationally, across all nationalities.
With this year marking the 10th anniversary of the film festival, Sheikha Jawaher recalls some of the most touching moments over the years which came with profound lessons. One of these has been to attract the interest of children from the Sharjah Humanitarian City who came to the screening of a movie from the UK, where all the actors had some form of disability. Another was to see the films made by refugees.
“I want children to see how less fortunate people can be creative. We are no longer living in times when we can tell children what to do, or how to be, what to like, or not like. We must show them the consequences of actions with stories and movies. I would like for this generation to know that they will have a chance to portray such stories on film or camera, and while films entertain us, they also give us the reality of life,” she says.
In watching children return to volunteer and work at the festival, and having youngsters and their parents show up for screenings in support of young filmmakers from all over the world, Sheikha Jawaher brings much more than media literacy and a passion for the arts to the forefront. For her, working with children, giving them a chance to interact with international filmmakers, learn about different cultures and offering them a way to discover the world through film and cinema is a way of putting Sharjah on the international map.
“I want Sharjah to reach everyone, and I want everyone to know and see what Sharjah is,” she says enthusiastically — and the light in her eyes when she speaks of it all confirms that she is achieving that goal with captivating ease, especially as she tells us about not just the children, but also about the celebrities, filmmakers and producers, who have approached her to be part of the festival.
My Personal Style
I like contemporary styles, and some of my favourites are Bouguessa, Sekka 38 and Takara from the UAE, and 1309 Studios. I believe there are many emerging designers and there’s always a lot of creativity coming from them. I wore Bouguessa at the SIFF last year.
The food must be excellent, and because I have a sweet tooth I love to have a spread of desserts. The ambiance is important, right from the setup with fresh flowers to the playlist. For flowers, my go-to choices are orchids and peonies, and for music, I love the classics — Jazz, Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble.
I love rings and necklaces. I personally love Gafla Jewellery as it has a specific touch of the UAE heritage and culture. I also love Shamsa Al Abbar Jewellery and Lulwa Fine Jewellery, all crafted and made in Dubai. It’s always nice to discover new designers and see what they’re creating.
I don’t use anything specific, and I give a lot of credit to my genes, but my basics are always moisturiser and sunblock which I use regularly. I am currently all about the glowing face and one product that I use daily is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum — it smells like a spa, completely calming.
I enjoy being outdoors in nature, and in places that are not crowded or less frequently visited. The Mleiha Archaeological Centre is one of the places I love to visit, and apart from that the beaches, mountains and deserts.
I just started reading a new book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J.Siegel. I enjoy learning about how the mind functions, and I also like reading biographies and books within the fiction and self-help genres. One of my favourites is Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak.
I love medical dramas —Grey’s Anatomy, New Amsterdam and The Good Doctor.
