Award-winning children’s animation about the Palestinian-American experience in K-12 schools.

* This video is copyrighted by (c) 2023 Rifk Books. Do not copy or reproduce this video without prior written permission. Any reproduction or illegal distribution of the content in any form will result in immediate action against the person concerned. *

Synopsis: As Saamidah, a young Palestinian-American girl, anxiously starts her first day of school, she finds her identity in question when faced with a world map that doesn't include her homeland.

2023 Film Festivals:

World Premiere: RiverRun International Film Festival
Chicago Palestine Film Festival - Closing night short
Inca Imperial International Film Festival
Arab Film Festival @ Arab American National Museum
Leeds Palestinian Film Festival
San Diego International Film Festival
Spark Micro-Short Film Festival
Muslim Film Festival
Huntington Beach Cultural Film Festival
Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival
Palestinian Refugees Film Festival
Portland Film Festival: Will Vinton Award
Syria Film Festival - Toronto

2024 Festivals:

Māoriland Film Festival
San Diego Arab Film Festival


CAST & CREW:
Directed by: Iman Zawahry
Produced by: Rifk Ebeid
Animated by: Lamaa Jawhari
Additional animation by: Fadia Jaradat
Music composition by: Abed Hathot, Akram Haddad
Songs by: El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe
Edited by: Grace Ibrahim
Trailer edited by: Maximillian Layland
Sound Design by: Barbaros Kaynak
Written by: Rifk Ebeid, Iman Zawahry
Story Consultation: Paul Seetachitt
Starring: Jannah Ebeid (Saamidah), Aizzah Fatima (Teacher), Waseem Alzer (Baba)
Portuguese subtitles: Juliana Souza
Spanish subtitles: Ashley Cisneros
French subtitles: Kunle Fasasi
Arabic subtitles: Yahya Dajani

Based off the book: Baba What Does My Name Mean? A Journey to Palestine, Written by Rifk Ebeid, Illustrated by Lamaa Jawhari. Available online everywhere books are sold. For more info: www.rifkbooks.com

Inquiries: info (at) rifkbooks (dot) com
Instagram: @iamfrompalestine.animation

Lyrics to “Take me to Palestine” song during Palestine scenes:

خذني عفلسطين خذني
يا طير لا تواخذني
رجعني على بلادي عند أهلي وولادي

بلادي يا أم النضال يلي انجبتي ابطال
خذني ع ارض المحتل على السهل وعلى التل
والأرض تنده وتقول خذني عفلسطين خذني

Take me to Palestine,
O bird, please
Return me to my country, to my family and children

My country, the mother of struggle, the one that gave birth to heroes
Take me to the occupied land, to the plain and the hill
And the land calls out and says, “Take me to Palestine, take me.”