Lamya's Poem

As a father my two girls (10 and 13) and I keep rewatching this movie. It is a poem in and of itself, much like Rumi's work, addressing the core ills of the world and how to heal the heart and nurture the light inside us all.

I was afraid my 10 year old girl would miss the metaphors, be scared or not get the allusions made. But there was enough happening that she stuck through until the end. On the second watching I was able to help her see some more inner beauty in each scene. And so with each watching our appreciation grows. The beautiful exposition of deep meanings in this movie had my eyes uncontrollably filled with tears. Perhaps that also had an effect on my children. I could not hide my reactions from them. Thank you for making this film!! It is a treasure.

I first watched it myself and I suggest all parents do the same. It is a great film to raise your child on. But decide for yourself as a parent when your child is ready to watch and understand it.

The Syrian Civil War became big news in the early 2010s, with terrorist group ISIS taking over much of the country with the aim of overthrowing Bashar al-Assad's government. Large numbers of people fled the country, risking their lives to reach Europe.

Alex Kronemer's "Lamya's Poem" focuses on this. The protagonist is a girl living in besieged Aleppo. She takes inspiration from the writings of Persian poet Jalal al-Din Rumi, even as she and her mother flee the city following a bombing raid. I suspect that to most people in Aleppo, there was little if any difference between government forces and ISIS.*

I wouldn't call the movie a masterpiece, but it made clear what the people were going through, whether in their own country or in another. Moreover, it shows that animated features don't have to be "pleasant"; after all, animation is just another type of cinema. I don't know whether or not the movie is available on any streaming service, so you'll have to check the local video stores.

*This was a point raised in John Sayles's "Men with Guns": to the indigenous peoples in Latin America, there's no difference between the military juntas and the revolutionary forces.

The movie is of the "animated" genre, and although it is (family), it is - in my opinion - not suitable for children! Considering the complexity of its content, and its excessive symbolism, as well as the atmosphere of sadness that overcomes it! ..

The film addresses many thoughts, namely: anger, the desire for revenge, and leaving the country, and suggests a "poetic" way of dealing with pain and sadness, so when one is forced to leave his country and his family, he leaves burdened with sadness, heartbreak and anger. He thinks he has left his roots.. His world as he knows: home, family, business and friends.. It is a great loss that can destroy a person, but it - also - can be an opportunity to discover the true source of our existence. The loss can be the beginning of a new journey (spiritual, or social).. This is simply the message of the movie! Which may seem dreamy and naive in the eyes of some! ) ..

The film shows this message through three completely different paths:

First track : Lamia .. A Syrian child living in Aleppo, lost her father in the chaos of the Syrian war, and the bombing forces her to flee her country and take refuge in a European country, and she is burdened with sadness and pain..

Second track: Jalaluddin Rumi.. A poet goes through a similar ordeal when the Mongols invade his civilization, and is forced to migrate while he is carrying the desire to revenge against the Gazi aggressor.

Track 3: A "fantasy" track when Lamia "dreamy poetry" meets Jalaluddin Rumi "obsessed with spirit of revenge" in a virtual fantasy world! Symbolizes the struggle of these feelings about the ordeal itself!

Throughout the film, scenes will move between these three tracks, showing events inspired by the real poems of Jalaluddin Rumi.

The film is a fun visual adventure, overflowing with poetry and pain.. and the optimism as well ! ..

Although the film is "cartoon" and has modest artistic potential, it has huge influential abilities, explained briefly and simply: the plight of the Syrian (or anyone who is experiencing it) in his homeland, and in the asylum! ..

This animated movie is simply a brilliant concept of addressing the humanitarian side of what refugees go through in their daily lives coupled with the background of the famous worldly poet Rumi.

It was interesting, yet nice to hear the voices of 3 generations of popular actors: Millie Davis who plays Lamya, Mena Massoud who plays Rumi and Faran Tahir who plays Rumi's father Baha Walad.

Children 10 ish and above should be able to handle the " monster element" Cleverly captured in an animation for family viewing teaching some lessons of good and evil, alongside compassion and hope.

Love it!!

The idea of merging what happened to jalal - aldain rumia ( who is an amazing poaet to me and a lot of arabs ) and what happend to lamia who is portarying the syrain children who lived the hardest lifes is amazing and i love the glimpse of syrian culture who i love and was raised upon thiere tv series so thats why syrain movies and tv series has special kind of longing for me the graphics are week but thats acceptel giving thats its an independent movie and i wished the movie was in the native arabian _ syrian language maybe they should of put subtitels for the non arabic speaking people i think that would've been better .