POP, The Flying Supercamel

A superhero camel, ridden by an Israeli boy and a Palestinian boy, flies over the war-stricken zones of their two countries and transforms violent situations into symbols of peace and hope. This is the plot of “P.O.P. – Pace of Peace” the short animated film created and written by 8 Israeli students and 8 Palestinian students, aged between 16 and 18, from Raanana (Israel) and Qalqilia (Palestinian Authority), and produced by I Castelli Animati in collaboraton with the Office for Peace in Jerusalem of the City of Rome, by the Municipalities of Raanana and Qalqilia and by Rai 3.

“P.O.P. – Pace of Peace” won the Prize for Cinema and the Culture of Dialogue at the Venice Film Festival in 2004.
The story for the film was written by the two groups of students during the course of a workshop held in Rome; the short film was then realized by 12 of the most important Italian animation studios, each of which realised a sequence using their own style and technique. The original song for the film was written and interpreted by two singer-songwriters, the Palestinian Rim Banna, and Noa from Israel.

The whole process of realisation of the project was filmed to make a documentary illustrating the various work stages, the meetings, the problems addressed, and “behind the scenes” episodes. The documentary accompanies the screening of the short film and is an important document of peace: because the aim of the project was not only to make an animated film, but to bring together young people representing two cultures, two peoples in conflict, and show that it is possible to work together, that collaboration between young Palestinians and Israelis can be constructive and pacific.

“P.O.P. – Pace of Peace” has been broadcast several times by RAI TV and screened at the major international festivals: Clermont-Ferrand (France), Edinburgh (Scotland), Bellinzona (Switzerland), Annecy (France), Vilnius (Lithuania), Jerusalem (Israel), Jericho (Palestinian Territories).

Credits

Created and written by: Riyad Abu Samra, Yaara Beer, Yulia Medveder, Lewaa Afana, Abdulhamid Nassar, Ori Nabarro, Oded Rhivi, Iyad Hantash, Issa Abu Hantash, Matan Rozen-Rozenberg, Raam Roch-Hai, Najmeddin Zaid, Ahmad Nazzal, Noa Shechori, Ofir Shabtai, Saleh Thiab

Artistic Direction:

Luca Raffaelli, Attilio Valenti

Script:

Luca Raffaelli

Artistic Supervision:

Giulio Gianini, Emanuele Luzzati

Animated sequences:

Rainbow, Graphilm, Proxima, Stranemani, Studio Fusako Yusaki, De Mas & Partners, A&M, The Animation Band, Studio Matita Animata, Mnogo Film, Green Movie Animation, Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia - Scuola Nazionale di Cinema-Dipartimento di Animazione

Project Coordination:

Emanuela Marrocco, Franco La Torre

Technical Coordination:

Giuseppe Squillaci

Storyboard:

Gregory Panaccione

Videoboard:

Matteo Valenti

Texts and Music:

Noa (Achinoam Nini), Gil Dor, Rim Banna

Extra Music:

Angelo Talocci, Spiritosound

Supercamel’s Voice:

Fabrizio Mazzotta

The documentary "The Story of POP" is realised by Gianluigi De Stefano

Production: I Castelli Animati, Office for Peace in Jerusalem of the City of Rome, Municipality of Qalqilia, Municipality of Raanana, Rai 3

With the Patronage of: Asifa International, Asifa Italia