BBC trending - Saudis defiance gone digital
Ashley Choukeir and I were approached by BBC to do these animation videos about three courageous Saudi men whose defiance has gone digital.In a country where resistance is almost impossible, where freedom of faith, sexual orientation, even freedom of expression are denied, some people are seeking virtual freedom. These three animation videos areDirection & Art Direction: Hanane Kai, Ashley Choukeir Animation: Ashley Choukeir Illustration: Hanane Kai Production: BBC, Mai Noman and Hind Suleiman |
20-year-old "Youssef" tells of the perils of being a transsexual in Saudi Arabia.
|
"Mazen" lost his eyesight when he was seven. Here he tells how this changed his world and introduced him to freedom of faith.
|
"Hussein" tells of what life is like for a religious minority in the kingdom.
|
The biggest challenge in that project was finding a visual language that could hold such delicate issues without being too literal—or too harsh. That’s why Ashley and I leaned into an abstract style for the illustrations and animations, using patterns and symbols to express the emotions and ideas behind the stories. It was all about capturing the essence without over-explaining.
Here are a few of my favorite snapshots from the animations: |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |