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SHARJAH / WAM
The third annual edition of the Sharjah Animation Conference (SAC 2025) concluded on Sunday, solidifying its status as a regional epicentre for the industry, and attracting 5,600 attendees from around the world.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the conference brought together 74 luminaries, including award-winning Disney animators, gaming pioneers, and storytellers representing 18 countries from regions such as Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
SAC 2025 also celebrated creative excellence with a US$20,000 awards programme, where Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA; and Pietro Pinetti, Artistic Director of SAC; presented the “Book Trailer Award”, honouring outstanding efforts in literary visual storytelling; and the “Pitch the Project Award”, for culturally inspired children’s animation concepts.
The ceremony also recognised leading figures and influencers in animation, including a special lifetime achievement award to the late Masami Suda, with his wife, Chuda Suda, accepting the award on his behalf.
As the renowned creator and character designer behind iconic works like “Dragon Ball”; the award honoured his artistic legacy that inspired generations of fans worldwide. Additionally, the Sharjah Animation Conference Ambassador award was presented to the international animator Sandro Cleuzo, who has advanced the conference’s vision and expanded its regional and global impact.
Khoula Al Mujaini, Executive Director of SAC, underscored the conference’s expansive impact, crediting its success to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah; and the guidance of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA.
“SAC has become a true growing platform; a space where publishers, artists, industry leaders, and broadcasters meet, collaborate, and convert ideas into reality,” Al Mujaini remarked. “We’ll continue to connect through online and offline meetups throughout the year because we believe in building bridges, not just events. In learning, in sharing knowledge, in staying together as one creative community.”
Al Mujaini also emphasised that the rapid pace of technological innovation in animation requires content creators to remain continuously responsive to new developments. She described the conference as a vital platform that connects aspiring animators with industry leaders, fostering an environment of learning, experimentation and meaningful international collaboration.
SAC 2025’s agenda offered a forward-looking lens into the digital future of animation and hosted more than 35 specialised workshops and 29 roundtables and panel discussions covering illustration, animation, scripting, as well as digital technologies and AI.
Key figures in character design and production unveiled the secrets behind iconic scenes and shared advanced techniques for character animation. The programme also explored global examples of adapting literary works into animated television and cinema productions, providing unparalleled learning opportunities.
The four-day conference created a dynamic platform for content creators to exchange insights and build professional connections, with the conversations addressing key institutional challenges, including the need for stronger local production infrastructure and strategies to enhance global collaboration in content distribution and broadcasting.
Notably, women played a prominent role in the discourse, with leading female creators and industry leaders sharing powerful reflections on the projects that have made a mark on the global stage.
The closing ceremony celebrated creativity and cultural heritage with its Book Trailer Award and Pitch the Project Award, distributing a $20,000 prize pool to honour outstanding talent. The Book Trailer Award, recognising visionary adaptations of literature into promotional videos, crowned Ahmed Arnaouty as its first-place winner, followed by Aishwarya Carriappa and Zainab Jebur for their visual interpretation of the book “Dooq Dooq” by Shereen Sabbagh.
Meanwhile, the Pitch the Project Award, which challenged creators to design animated series rooted in regional traditions for young audiences, awarded top honours to Mohammed Jandali, Abdalla Almunajad received second place, and Eslam Aboshady secured third place for their culturally rich storytelling proposals.
Elevating SAC 2025’s cultural and collaborative offerings, attendees reveled in live performances from Italy’s Florence Pops Orchestra with the closing ceremony concluding with a concert that blended various memorable soundtracks from animated films. The evenings of Day 1 & 3, also witnessed the orchestra deliver renditions of Disney classics like The Lion King and Frozen; and a nostalgic Studio Ghibli tribute featuring Joe Hisaishi’s iconic scores from Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro.
On the evening of Day 2, the historic Bait Alowal hosted an exclusive networking evening, uniting industry leaders and creators to forge partnerships, and across the four days, curated film screenings celebrated animation’s legacy and future.