Palestine Animated
Friday, 26. 9. 2025 at 16.00 / Vetrinj mansion, big hall
Programme curated by Samira Badran, Mats Grorud, and Angeles Cabria. he screening will be introduced by Mats Grorud and Jana Kattan.
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Rami Abbas is a Palestinian director, animator, painter, and multidisciplinary artist. He studied art in Syria and later continued his studies in Madrid, where he currently resides. Abbas has directed several experimental and animated short films. In addition to participating in numerous artistic exhibitions worldwide, he has worked for many years in animation and graphic design, producing promotional projects addressing humanitarian, social, and justice issues. Moreover, he conducts animation training workshops & youth empowerment. He won several international awards for his latest animated short film Hide & Seek. Find more www.rami-abbas.com
Mats Grorud is a film director and animator from Norway. He previously directed two short films and has worked as an animator on several feature films, documentaries and music videos. During his childhood, his mother worked as a nurse in refugee camps in Lebanon. In the 1990s, Mats studied at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon while working as an English and Animation teacher in the Burj el Barjaneh refugee camp. Based on the testimonies of the refugees and his experience, he wrote the script for his first-feature film, The Tower. Filmography as a director and animator: 2005 Asylumseekers, short film directed by Kaja Polmar; Grandpa Is a Raisin, feature film directed by Pjotr Sapegin; 2008 My Grandmother Beijing, short film; 2009 Santa Klaus, short film, co-directed with Robin Jensen; 2018 The Tower.
Jana Kattan specializes in film direction, storytelling and character animation, Jana Kattan is a graduate from the BA Animation Production course at Arts University Bournemouth. She directed Checkpoint, a story that she followed through from initial concept and pitch to final screening at the British Film Institute. Checkpoint has been picked up for numerous awards and been selected to screen at prestigious festivals including London Independent Film Festival, Los Angeles Animation Festival, Cardiff Animation Festival, Brighton International Animation Festival, Toronto Animation Arts Festival International, Dumbo Film Festival (New York) and Lift Off Global Network 2021 (Pinewood studios and Hollywood). In Jana’s words: As a Palestinian, Checkpoint was a project that is extremely close to my heart, and managing and directing a group of 6 other team members was an invaluable experience, particularly during the pandemic. Directing the film taught me about the production-pipeline, as well as how to inspire others to become invested in the story we were telling, and why it was so important to tell. I am a firm believer in animation and film as a powerful medium for conveying all types of stories, whether they be comedic, informative or emotional. I hope to continue to use film and animation to tell stores that shine a light on under-represented groups and individuals.
Find more www.janakattan10.myportfolio.com
Statement of the PALESTINE ANIMATED Collective
PALESTINE ANIMATED is a collective of Palestinian and international animation film- directors whose films touch upon different aspects of Palestinian lives in their art. During the ongoing genocide on the Palestinian people, we felt the need to come together in support of each other as a community of artists, creating stronger bonds between each other and helping get our films out to a broader audience: showcasing stories about Palestine. The aim of our group is to show different expressions of animated art by and about Palestine.
The collective aims to bring us together despite the fractures of exile and separation by the occupation. The directors come from Gaza, West Bank and belong to the international diaspora that is spread all over the world. In these dire times all the directors have given their consent to free screenings, on the condition that any profits from screenings go to those of the directors in the group that need support. We are particularly pleased to show a selection of short films made by children in Gaza, amidst the ongoing blockade and genocide, under the mentorship of Haneen Koraz, Nour Abdel Jawad, Shorouq Darwish and Rasmi Damo (Fekra association).
The other directors in the group are: Khaled Jarada, Shereen Abdel Karim, Amal Al-Nakhala, Ahmad Saleh, Samira Badran, Jana Kattan, Tariq Rimawi, Basel Nasr, Dana Durr, Rami Abbas, Msallam Hdaib, Amer Shomali, Dia´ Azzeh, May Odeh, Iman Zawahry, Mats Grorud and Stefano Savona.
Integral to our work is the inclusion of grassroot organizers. Angeles Cabria (Rumbo Gaza Spain) is one of the founders of the group that helps to make the films reach an audience. We also cooperate with Kaboom animation film festival in Holland and StopTrik Slovenia.
We wish to present our films for an international audience as an emotional, artistic antidote to the death and destruction aimed at the Palestinian people.
www.palestina-animada.org
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www.palestina-animada.org 〰️
1.
My Second Eye / Ayny / Moje drugo oko
Ahmad Saleh (Fiction 2.0, Academy of Media Arts Cologne, Ahmad Saleh)
2016, Germany, Jordan, Palestine, 11'
2.
Memory Of The Land / ذاكرة الارض (Dhakirat al-ʾard) / Spomin dežele
Samira Badran
2017, Spain, Palestine, 12'50''
4.
Checkpoint / نقطة تفتيش (Nuqtat Taftish) / Kontrolna točka
Jana Kattan (Arts University Bournemouth)
2021, UK, 5'50''
5.
Hide & Seek / وَعْيصة (Waʿysah) / Skrivalnice
Rami Abbas
2024, Palestine, Spain, Turkey, Lebanon, the Netherlands, France, Syria, 7’
6.
From the Hole of a Needle / من ثقب إبرة (Min thuqbi ʾibrah) / Skozi šivankino uho
Sheeren Abdelkarim
2022, Palestine, 4’53’’
7.
Concrete Sky / (سماءٌ اسمنتية) / Betonsko nebo
Basel Nasr, Ahmad Saleh (ALMASNA alrusoom almutaharrikah)
2016, Palestine, 5'45''
8.
Uncle, Give Me a Cigarette / عمي اعطيني سيجارة (ʿAmmi, aʿtini sijarah) / Stric, daj mi cigareto
Basel Nasr (Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees, Animation Factory, Al-Massna)
2023, Palestine, 4’50’’
9.
Love and War / Hubb wa-harb (حب وحرب) / Ljubezen in vojna
Children's workshop (Fekra)
2025, Palestine, 5'02''