The fourth edition of the Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference opened this week at Aljada and runs through Sunday, bringing together more than 150 workshops, talks, film screenings and live concerts over four days. Organisers say the event has drawn more than 75 international speakers from over 30 countries, with 55 workshops and masterclasses and 40 talks and discussions on the schedule.
Among the headline guests are Pixar veterans Andrew Gordon and Doug Sweetland, animators behind films including Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Toy Story. Shuzo Shiota, chief executive of Japan's Polygon Pictures, and Terry Notary, a movement coach and performance-capture specialist, are also taking part. On the comics side, artists Bernard Chang, Ken Lashley and Guy Gilchrist, along with writer-producer Shannon Eric Denton, are featured guests.
Khoula Al Mujaini, the conference's executive director, said expanding the event beyond animation to include comics, illustration and publishing "felt like a natural next step" as storytelling habits evolve. The conference also runs a dedicated business programme connecting Arab creators with producers, financiers and publishers, alongside the Book2Screen Challenge, which pairs publishers with producers for potential screen adaptations.
Other attractions include an Artist Alley for regional creators, a Comic Wall displaying rare collectibles, a dubbing booth where visitors can try voice acting, gaming tournaments featuring titles such as EA Sports FC 27 and Tekken 8, and a cosplay competition with a Dh25,000 prize pool. Ticket prices range from Dh85 for students to Dh3,000 for premium passes, with Saturday tickets already sold out.