Written and directed by Tariq Rimawi, the film was produced by StudioNICE Creative, backed by the support of Jordan’s RFC, and received a co-production prize from the Robert Bosch Stiftung Foundation.
Tariq Rimawi’s Yemeni animation Zoo has received a Special Mention from the Animation Films Jury at the Baghdad Film Festival, which unfolded from February 10 to 14 in the Iraqi capital. This recognition marks a promising start for the film in 2024 following its successful festival circuit last year.
Adding to its accolades, Zoo recently clinched the Best Animation Film Award at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People, along with the Best Short Animation Award at the Bahrain Film Festival.
The film has amassed a collection of honors, including the Best Short Animation Award at international film festivals in Tangier, Beirut Shorts, and Shorty Week.
Zoo premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival and made its European debut at the XXIV International Festival Corti da Sogni Antonio Ricci, where it secured the Giuseppe Maestri Prize for Best Animation. It was also showcased at the Cannes Short Film Corner.
Having screened at over 20 international film festivals, Zoo has received acclaim at events like the Lebanon Short Film Festival, Lady Filmmakers Festival, Sharjah Children’s Film Festival, Ismailia Short and Documentary Festival, and Toronto’s Palestinian international film festivals.
The storyline follows Sami as he navigates the dilapidated zoo in search of his ball, encountering a young tiger named Laziz. Together, they embark on a quest for a safe haven to play, forming an unlikely friendship amid the lingering shadows of war.
Written, directed, and edited by Tariq Rimawi, the film is produced by Moritz Mayerhofer and Aminah Abdat of StudioNICE Creative, with support from Jordan’s Royal Film Commission and a co-production prize from the Robert Bosch Stiftung Foundation. With MAD Solutions handling distribution in the Arab world, the film is produced by Aminah Abdat and Moritz Mayerhofer.
Tariq Rimawi, an independent Jordanian animated film director, scriptwriter, and academic, boasts a portfolio of films that have garnered regional and international acclaim, having been showcased at over 200 international film festivals.
