SPOTTED: Husam Zakaraya, Animation Design graduate, tells Filmkrant about his animation REM Sleep
- Design
With his graduation project REM Sleep, Husam Zakaraya, a graduate of Animation Design, won the Academy Prize of the ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design in Zwolle. His work quickly caught attention. Filmkrant interviewed Husam about his layered animated film, rich in symbolism.
REM Sleep
Husam's animation REM Sleep explores the human condition, particularly in the Middle East, where themes like suffering, war, and death are a daily reality. The animation is based on Husam's personal experiences as a Syrian refugee and also references the Al Tadamon massacre in 2013, where soldiers loyal to the Syrian regime executed 41 people. By telling the story in an absurd and seemingly random way, Husam aims to depict human suffering and the ongoing search for meaning.
Filmkrant interview series
Filmkrant created an interview series featuring newly graduated film students from the class of 2024. Husam is one of them. In the Filmkrant interview, he states: "I want to take the viewer on an emotional journey through the complexity of human existence. And symbolically, associatively, and intuitively ask questions about what the end means. Can we find meaning in this chaotic life?"
"Diversity in interpretation"
The interviewer wonders how Husam manages to convey so much in just four minutes and concludes that it's due to the layered nature of Husam's film, where everything has more than one meaning. Husam elaborates on this: "You know, if I could express it in words, I wouldn't have needed to make the film. Music, sound, and images will evoke different associations in everyone. Because we all come from different cultures, symbols can have different meanings. I truly appreciate that diversity in interpretation. My goal is to create space for personal interpretation while still establishing a strong emotional connection."
