Animations created by children in Gaza to be screened in Dublin cinema

Animated short films created by children in Gaza will be shown at The Stella Cinema in Rathmines, Dublin on Monday, June 16. The screening, titled Gaza in Colour, is a collection of 17 short films and will take place at 6pm.

The films were created through workshops led by Haneen Koraz, an animation director and former teacher from Gaza. Working with children in refugee camps, Koraz has helped the young artists express themselves, process trauma and preserve their stories through a sense of childhood.

The filmmakers, some as young as five years old, explore themes of daily life, imagination and resilience. Some of the short films include Six Children and One Plate and My Grandfather’s Magical Cane, which were created by children from the Basmat Almat Camp in the city of Deir al-Balah in Gaza.

 

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Organised by Shauna Cullen of JAM Media, with support from Animation Ireland and Avalon Films, the screening will be opened by the Ambassador of Palestine to Ireland, Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid.

"Like many, I’ve been heartbroken and overwhelmed by the horrors unfolding in Palestine. Amid this devastation, I came across something extraordinary: children, living in tents, creating animated films under the guidance of Haneen Koraz," explained Cullen.

"What these children have been able to produce is remarkable," she added, "even when the full dimensions of reality become too much to bear, these children are able to find escape through art and creativity."

A UNICEF finding from earlier this year reported that roughly 1 million children in the Gaza Strip need mental health and psychosocial support for depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. The report also stated that "no child will emerge from the horrors of the war without the imprint of trauma."

The short films are published weekly and can be found on the Animation Community for Palestine Instagram.

Tickets for the screening in The Stella Cinema can be requested by contacting [email protected].