On 28 January, Coptic Orphans in Cairo hosted a screening of The 21, a brief animated movie honoring the 21 Coptic Martyrs, which was additionally shortlisted for the Oscars.
On 15 February, 2015, ISIS militants brutally executed 21 Coptic Christian prisoners on a seaside in Libya. On the tenth anniversary of their martyrdom, “The 21” honors the lads who gave their lives reasonably than deny their Christian religion.
The screening was attended by members of the Coptic group, filmmakers, and supporters who gathered to commemorate the lives of the victims and replicate on their enduring legacy in Egyptian collective reminiscence.
During the occasion, producers shared that six years in the past, whereas in Egypt for the cathedral’s opening, they visited Garbage City and got here throughout an image of the 21 martyrs. Accordingly, the go to sparked the concept of making a movie to share their story.
The 13-minute brief animated movie was made by MORE Productions in collaboration with Coptic artists. American Actor Jonathan Roumie, finest identified for his portrayal of Jesus within the hit sequence “The Chosen (2017),” served because the movie’s govt producer.
The movie’s soundtrack, created by Egyptian instrumentalist duo the Ayoub Sisters, blends classical music with conventional Coptic hymns, including to the movie’s rating.
Guided by neo-Coptic iconography, Tod Polson, former inventive director at Cartoon Saloon and director of “The 21”, led a workforce of greater than 70 world-class artists from greater than 70 nations over the course of 5 years to deliver the movie’s animation to life.
When Polson met the widows of the martyrs, he requested what they needed the movie to convey. “The message of peace,” they responded, he shared on the occasion.
“As Christians, we know that death is not the end, nor even the greatest thing to fear. These brave men’s stories need to be told and shared so that the world will know in whom we find the ultimate example of hope … one that is never extinguished,” actor Jonathan Roumie said in a press launch.
In May 2023, Pope Francis added the Coptic males to Roman Martyrology, the Catholic Church’s official checklist of saints, recognizing them as martyrs. This was the primary time in historical past that Coptic Christians had been acknowledged as martyrs by the Catholic Church.
Credits are additionally a part of the expertise, deepening the emotional connection to the movie’s message because the martyrs’ names seem one after the other, accompanied by deeply shifting music.
The screening left attendees moved, because the movie not solely honored the martyrs, but in addition sparked discussions on religion, resilience, and remembrance.
“The 21” could be seen totally free on www.the21film.com from Feb. 14–17 February. After that, viewers should present an electronic mail with a view to get entry to observe it.
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