Directors: Basel Nasr, Ahmad Saleh, Mats Grorud
Feature | Animation | PS, JD, NO | Development
Synopsis:
While serving a life sentence, Palestinian writer Walid Daqqa and five animal companions attempt to solve a riddle posed by an ancient olive tree about how to achieve real freedom.
Ahmad Saleh (b. 1980) is a filmmaker, writer, director, and professor of animation. At the age of 18, he returned to Palestine, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering. Inspired by life in Palestine, Ahmad began writing and published his first short story collection, which received the A.M. Qattan Foundation's Young Writer Award. In 2007, he moved to Germany, where he earned two master’s degrees—one in Digital Media and another in Film Writing and Directing. His award-winning short films HOUSE (2012, German Short Film Award), AYNY (2016, Student Academy Award), and NIGHT (2021, Locarno Film Festival premiere) have screened globally.
Basel Nasr (b. 1980) is an animator, producer, and educator with over 20 years of experience in animation and visual storytelling. He co-founded ZAN Studio in 2005 and established Al-Masna, an animation studio in Ramallah, in 2015. His work spans 2D and stop-motion animation, motion graphics, and documentary storytelling—frequently exploring themes of everyday life, identity, and socio-political issues. In addition to creating, he teaches animation and designs training programs for emerging artists and educators.
Mats Grorud (b. 1976) is a Norwegian director and screenwriter. He made his feature directorial debut with the animated film The Tower (Wardi), which premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2018, screened at over 200 festivals worldwide, made the 2019 Oscar longlist, and won numerous international awards. Educated in Norway, Denmark, Tanzania, Lebanon, and China, Grorud draws deeply on his global experiences to craft socially and politically engaged work. He has operated his production company, Nubbsjangs Production, since 2003, co-founded "Palestine Animated," and initiated "Posters for Palestine — Norway." His directorial works include My Grandmother Beijing (2008) and Santa Klaus (2010), alongside animation credits on Grandpa Is a Raisin (dir. Pjotr Sapegin, 2004) and Backyard Stories (dir. Trygve Nielsen / Julie Engaas / Svend Ask, 2005).
