Director(s)Noran Fikri, Nicholas Arujah, Xinyue Ma, Yulin Yue, Xiaonan Zhou
Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Zain, a Palestinian swimming champion, finds his world shattered by war and man-made famine. As the sole caregiver for his younger brother, he must shoulder a responsibility no child should have to bear. When desperately needed aid falls into the sea, Zain returns to the water that once carried his dreams, but this time, he swims not for passion or a medal, but to keep them both alive.
Director Details
The film is co-directed by Noran Fikri, Nicholas Arujah, Xinyue Ma, Yulin Yue, and Xiaonan Zhou, five animation artists with complementary creative backgrounds. Nouran is an Egyptian 2D artist and Gobelins graduate with a master’s degree in Character Animation and Filmmaking. Xinyue holds a bachelor’s degree in 3D Animation from Gobelins and specializes in storyboarding and character animation. Yulin is a Chinese animator and illustrator passionate about 2D animation, visual development, and nature. After studying art history, Xiaonan pursued 2D animation and illustration, exploring a wide range of artistic styles. Together, they combine technical expertise and visual imagination to create heartfelt stories with the power to inspire change.
