Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference: Pixar veterans, comic book artists and a new focus on Arab talent
A character that begins in a comic book can eventually become the star of an animated film, a video game or an entire fictional universe. This increasingly interconnected approach to storytelling is at the heart of this year's Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference (SACC). The event, being held until Sunday at Aljada , is expanding beyond animation to embrace comics, bringing illustrators,…
The Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference (SACC) is exploring new territories as it moves beyond animation to embrace comics, featuring illustrators, writers and publishers alongside filmmakers and animators. Organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, this year's event boasts over 150 activities, including workshops, talks, screenings, and concerts, with more than 75 speakers from over 30 countries participating.
Khoula Al Mujaini, executive director of the SACC, explains that the conference's expanded focus reflects changes in storytelling across creative industries, where characters can transition from comic books to animation, video games, and entire fictional universes. Among the headline guests are Pixar veterans Andrew Gordon and Doug Sweetland, Japanese animation studio Polygon Pictures' CEO Shuzo Shiota, and movement coach Terry Notary, whose workshops will cover topics like storytelling, directing animated shorts, and creating believable digital creatures through physical movement.
Comic book enthusiasts can meet artists like Bernard Chang and Ken Lashley, while workshops will cover character design, drawing techniques, and the development of original comics. Other highlights include traditional animation, stop-motion filmmaking, and lightsaber choreography, along with gaming attractions, cosplay competitions, and film screenings.
The conference aims to build careers for Arab creators by connecting regional artists, publishers, and industry professionals, tackling structural challenges in the region's creative industries and exploring how AI is transforming animation production.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
