Ten-year-old Hassan has one wish for his birthday: War is all he has known and he hopes that next year, for his birthday, “the world won’t be like this.” He fled his home and lost some of his friends to bombs because of the Syrian conflict, which erupted a decade ago. March 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the conflict and Syria Relief wants to use this moment to remind people that “the lives of millions of Syrians depend on the support of others.”
By partnering with award-winning creative agency Flow Creative, the organization narrates “A Heartbreaking Anniversary: Hassan’s Story,” a short, animated video with a powerful message. The charity has launched a fundraising appeal to coincide with the commemoration of the conflict and support the victims of the war, hoping that the animation would encourage people to donate and make an impact.
The effects of violence in the country are devastating and kids like Hassan are the biggest victims of the conflict. Because of the crisis, these children have lost their homes, their families, schools, and friends, and many have been injured, traumatized, or killed in the process. Helped by their Manchester-based agency, the NGO managed to underline this human tragedy in its short film.
Karl Doran, Flow’s Creative Director, says they “wanted to show the tragedy of how long this situation has been going on, so we created a story around a central character of a 10-year-old child who has lived his whole life in wartime. This approach allowed us to tell the story from his perspective to bring to life the human side of the devastating conflict.”
Jessica Adams, Marketing and Media Manager at Syria Relief, said about the piece that it “far exceeded [their] expectations.” Continuing, Adams said about the team that they succeeded in creating a story that “captured this decade of brutality through the innocent eyes of a child. Throughout the process, they worked with dignity and respect for the cause and handled the sensitive subject matter with ease. The team communicated with us every step of the way. They ensured authenticity with voiceover selection and imagery to create a polished and compelling final product.”
Doran continued: “Being the father of a 10-year-old boy myself, this project felt quite personal to me. Telling this story from the point of view of a child the same age, who has only known war, made the scale of the tragedy really hit home. We work with lots of amazing charities doing inspiring and really valuable work. It’s great to be able to put our skills to good use and see the work we do make a positive difference in the world.”
Doran says they are delighted with the resulted film, for which the team developed an “illustration style and color palette that would feel accessible and easy to watch while being authentic to the region and sensitive to the seriousness of the subject matter. Combining this look and feel with a moving script, delivered beautifully by a child actor and bespoke sound design, the end result is a moving film and one we’re really proud of.”
Hassan’s story is an emotional one and kids like him should not be forgotten. Syria Relief’s mission is to provide emergency humanitarian aid in the region and through this campaign, it urges people to help support the future of the country and protect the young lives who know nothing but war and displacement.
Credits:
Client: Syria Relief
Agency: Flow Creative