I present to you "If I must die - A Reading", a 3D animated short film I’ve worked on since the end of 2023, a short time after the start of the genocide in Gaza.
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By the end of October, I had begun to realize that I needed a therapeutic outlet to process my anger, grief, and frustration over the sensation of powerlessness against this genocide, so I decided to animate a reading of Dr. Refaat Alareer's poem, "If I must die", in dedication to Refaat and the Palestinian people. Making this short film was, for me, a form of art therapy—it was, and is, healing.
Of course, I understand that I, alone, can not stop a genocide. Animating will not lead to a ceasefire, nor will the film open the borders to desperately necessary food and aid. I believe it can, however, offer folks a clearer understanding of the Palestinian plight, in the hope of providing momentum for swinging public opinion towards support of Palestine. Even if this is a faint hope, I remain hopeful that, at the end of it all, the film will have done good for someone.
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> Forever moved and encouraged by the extraordinary beauty, resilience, and spirit of the Palestinian people
> Project inspired by thoughtful and profound artworks impelled by compassion:
"The Beginning is Near, An American Trilogy, Ch. 2: Dream Baby Dream" (2018) by Vincent Valdez, which, in its solemn elegance and gravitas, always gives me pause, and the narration and soundscape of the "justwondering…" team’s astonishing audiovisual interpretation of "If I must die", which I was graciously given blessing to sample and can be found freely on YouTube
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Animation: Chris Daley
Rig: Miosha by Dmitrii Kolpakov
Special thanks to my love and greatest supporter, Joy Murrieta, to my friends and mentors, Kathryn Taccone and Will Colón, to my dear friend Mohamed Ayyash for his perspective, and to Anne Kulakowski for her kindness and encouragement
FREE PALESTINE
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