LOGLINE

An animated coming of age story of a hipster artist turned political dissident under military occupation.

SYNOPSIS

Kashmiri artist Mir Suhail, a stylish illustrator, navigates a life of artistic expression in the volatile Indian-administered region of Kashmir. As political tensions escalate and the government's oppressive measures intensify, Mir is forced to confront his identity and decide whether to remain an observer or become a part of the resistance movement.

ARTISTIC STATEMENT

In India, Kashmir is strictly touted as a picturesque tourist destination. Only two graphic novels have been brave enough to address the subject of the Kashmiri insurgency to date, but an animated film has never been made. Therefore, for this creative documentary told through Mir’s personal experience, we have decided to engage with the interpretive potential of animation to visualize historical events, individual experiences, and the innermost emotions of our Protagonist. We will employ a contemporary visual language illustrated by Mir himself that reflects our Gen Z protagonist’s world: with vivid, hallucinatory imagery informed by references from Kashmiri underground pop music and modern political poetry. Traditional handicraft motifs–geometric, paisley, floral, bird, and hunting themes–will be reinterpreted with increasingly militaristic symbols, reflecting Mir’s journey as he gets duly politicized. Tonally, we want to develop a detailed sense of the oppressive psychological environment under military occupation; and how our Protagonist escapes this bleak reality through the robust fantasy world in his art. We want to imbue the film with cultural complexity, and convey the urgency of the political deadlock in Kashmir. We will challenge the dominant depiction of contemporary, secular, pro-autonomy youth movements as ‘Islamic terrorism’, and avoid the iconic news imagery of angry, bearded men in mosques and weeping veiled women. With humor, astonishment, and horror, our Protagonist reconciles his artistic dreams with his duty to his family and his people’s search for justice. Through this contemporary coming-of-age story, we reframe Kashmiri resistance from Muslim pathology to a more nuanced exploration of human choice.

KEY CREW

Mir Suhail - Lead Artist, illutrator

Mir Suhail is a New York-based political cartoonist, illustrator, and fashion designer. Originally from Indian-occupied Kashmir, he began his career at fourteen, drawing for a local daily. His work has been featured in leading publications like CNN-News18, The Caravan Magazine, and international organizations such as Amnesty International. @mirsuhail has over 50k followers on Instagram.

Jordan Mattos - Producer, Co-writer

Jordan Mattos is a film producer and sales agent specializing in the international distribution of feature films. Leveraging unique connections in the art and fashion industries, he has distributed award-winning films and introduced international filmmakers to the US market. His track record includes WE MARGIELA, Shirin Neshat's WOMEN WITHOUT MEN, Warwick Thornton's SAMSON AND DELILAH, and Anurag Kashyap's THAT GIRL IN YELLOW BOOTS. He has consulted for Venice Critics' Week and participated in Berlinale Talents and Locarno Industry Academy. His work has been featured in Permanent Paper, Vice Magazine, and Paper Magazine. Currently, he is associate producing Jennifer Venditti's BILLY THE KID and developing Umbreen Butt's first feature, A COUNTRY WITHOUT A POST OFFICE.