About the project

An animated piece dedicated to Palestine: the animator's interpretation of "If I must die", a poem written by the late Palestinian professor Dr. Refaat Alareer.
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About two months into the Gazan genocide, I’d realized I needed a therapeutic outlet to process my anger, grief, and frustration over the sensation of powerlessness against it, 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.