“Salim: An Animated Reminder of the Importance of Children’s Mental Health”

The lack of concern for the mental health of children, especially in times of war, prompted Cynthia Madanat and her husband, Shadi Al-Sharaiha, to produce an animated film that deals with this suffering.

Regarding work, Cynthia explained, “Salim’s film is the story of a 9-year-old child who was traumatized by the war and the loss of his father. He moves to a second city and learns in this city how to deal with psychological pressures, and at the same time walks on a journey of hope and healing.”

The film is participating in international festivals and will later be shown in cinemas and online platforms. It was nominated to participate in the Annecy International Film Festival.

Cynthia said: “The Annecy Animation Film Festival is one of the largest animation festivals in the world in Annecy, France. Almost 13,000 people participate in it every year with multiple films, and multiple films from all over the world are nominated.”

For his part, Sharaiha explained that the Jordanian film “Salim” deals with the importance of highlighting children’s mental health and the pressures they may face.

He said, “The reason for choosing the mental health dealt with in Salim’s film is the lack of sufficient attention to children in wars and conflicts or in the midst of trauma, where psychological trauma or pain occurs as a result of not meeting the initial needs of people.. (But the child’s mental health is often neglected).”

The couple are the founders of the company “Digitals”, which produced the film.

Al-Sharaiha believes that the animation industry will flourish in Jordan. He said, “There is an animation film industry in Jordan, but it is very emerging. Now there are universities studying this matter and bringing out the best talents, and some of them worked with us and are present with us in the company, and they are graduates of Jordanian universities. I believe that the animation industry in Jordan has a very brilliant future, not only at the level of the Arab world, but also at the global level.