The 2D film, one of 27 eligible for this year’s Oscars, tells the story of a young Syrian refugee who, in a dream world, meets the 13th-century poet who writes the poem that will one day save her life; now available on digital and DVD.
The 2D animated feature Lamya's Poem, one of 27 features that qualified for Oscar consideration this year, is now available on DVD and to rent/own on North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms. The film tells the story of a 12-year-old Syrian refugee girl named Lamya who tumbles into a dream world where she meets a poet and must help him write the poem that will save her life.
Animated by Canadian-based PIP Animation, the movie is written and directed by Alex Kronemer and produced by Kronemer, Glenn James Brown, and Sam Kadi.
In the movie, when Lamya flees the violence of her country, she is given a book of poetry by the famous 13th-century poet Rumi. As the perils of Lamya’s journey mount, the book becomes a magical gateway where she meets the poet as a boy – he is also a refugee fleeing the violence of his time. In a shared dreamworld, they battle the monsters that follow them from their real-world situations, and Lamya must help young Rumi find his calling and write the poem that 800 years later will save her life.
“We were inspired by accounts of displaced Syrians reading poetry and literature in refugee camps to help overcome the trauma of their displacement from home, friends, and family,” shared Kronemer. “At its center, Lamya’s Poem is about the magical relationship between artists and their audiences that can cross time and space to help both heal and transcend difficult circumstances. While rooted in loss, the film ultimately is a life-affirming and family-friendly tale.”
The film features Millie Davis as ‘Lamya’ (Odd Squad, Wonder, Orphan Black), Faran Tahir as ‘Baha Walad’ (Iron Man, Star Trek), and Mena Massoud as ‘Rumi’ (Disney’s live-action Aladdin, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan).
Watch the trailer:
Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, distributes the film in North America.
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
