english press pack - 3 dimen

ENGLISH PRESS PACK
T he
Legend of
Kawa the
Blacksmith
Duration: 54 minutes ● 2008
Directors: Havi Ibrahim and Stuart Palmer
Produced by Splash Animations and the Goodwin Development Trust
To the best of the directors’ knowledge, this film is the first computer-generated animated film in Kurdish.
Synopsis
Kawa the Blacksmith is probably the most famous Kurdish legend and tells the story of Kurdish New Year (Newroz
- pronounced Now-Rooz) and the birth of a nation.
King Zohak, ruler of the land of Mesopotamia, is tricked by the evil demon Ahriman and cursed with two large black
snakes, which grow from his shoulders. Zohak is wracked with terrible pain, a pain that will only go away if the snakes
are fed the brains of children. As children are snatched from the surrounding towns and villages to feed the snakes’
hunger, the sun refuses to shine and the land becomes cold and desolate.
Kawa the Blacksmith is blessed with seven children, but gradually they are taken from him until only one child remains.
Consumed with anger and grief, he goes to the villagers and tells them that he is going to Zohak’s castle to
plead for his child’s life. If his pleading fails, then he will attempt to kill Zohak with his mighty blacksmith’s hammer.
If he succeeds, he will light a fire on the highest point on the mountain and then the villagers will know he has triumphed.
If no fire can be seen, then he will have failed.
Kawa’s pleading with Zohak is all in vain, and he is forced to strike a blow with his hammer, killing King
Zohak and breaking Ahriman’s evil curse. He then climbs to the top of the mountain and lights a huge bonfire.
The villagers see the fire and light another, which in turn can be seen from the next village where they light another,
and another and another, until there are fires bûrning throughout the land. As the people celebrate, the fire and smoke
cleanse the air of the last of Ahriman’s evil and finally the sun returns to the sky.
About the Film
The Legend of Kawa the Blacksmith is actually two separate films, one in English with a full cast of English actors,
and one in Kurdish with a full cast of Kurdish actors. Many members of the cast came from the local community and
were cast in the film through open auditions.
The film has been created with computer generated animation, but is rich in traditional Kurdish culture.
It will be released on DVD early in 2009 and sold online across Europe through Amazon.
On the DVD:
• The animated English lip-synced version of the film.
• The animated Kurdish lip-synced version of the film.
• A 35 minute documentary on the making of the film.
• A gallery of images from the film.
• Optional English subtitles on the Kurdish version.
• Optional Kurdish subtitles on the English version.
Page 1

The Directors
Splash Animations is the creation of two people from very different backgrounds.
Soon after meeting on a course, Havi Ibrahim and Stuart Palmer became firm friends. With common interests in art
and animation, they decided to work together to create something unique and worthwhile that would be appreciated by
the Kurdish community and lead to a broader understanding of Kurdish culture.
They approached the Goodwin Development Trust in search of funding to see them through the yearlong animation
process, but the Goodwin Development Trust was so taken with the idea they decided to join them in developing the
project.
Havi and Stuart intend The Legend of Kawa the Blacksmith to be the first of many such animated Kurdish films, and
the foundation on which Splash Animations continues to build, and they are already making plans for their second film
together.
Havi Ibrahim
Havi Ibrahim is a Kurd. He finished his education in
Duhok, Kurdistan, and then studied Fine Art at the
Duhok Instute of Fine Art, where he graduated. Now he
studies at the University of Lincoln for Art and Design in
England.
In Kurdistan, Havi worked in many areas of the arts
and media. In art, with a group of four fellow students,
he constructed four large statues in Duhok and the
surrounding area, such as The Work and the Reward,
Mother Sherin, Duban’s Milkmaid and the two statues of
students in front of the University of Duhok.
He also used to design and illustrate for Dicle Magazine,
which nowadays is called Nubon.
In the media, he was a member of the Union of
Kurdish Writers in Duhok, and used to be arts editor for
Dicle Magazine, writing articles, reports, interviews and
selecting articles. He worked as a freelance journalist,
writing articles for a variety of publications in Kurdistan.
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Stuart Palmer
Stuart Palmer is British. He is a professional writer with
many short stories published in Britain, America,
Australia and Canada, as well as on the world wide web.
He writes a monthly column for Writing Magazine, a
magazine for and about writers. He is also a
professional animator and has done work for the BBC
(DVD division) as well as many amateur productions
that are distributed across the world.
He studied Theology at Hull University and, when he
graduated, he decided to stay in the city he had come to
love. Since that time he has been a singer and songwriter
with a rock band, a writing tutor, and a model, as
well as writing everything from humour to horror, from
romance to articles.
Splash Animations is a dream come true for Stuart, who
can now combine almost all of his passions into
creating one unique and memorable project... whilst
looking forward to many more to come.

Kurdish Cast
Rashed (Kawa)
Rashed is Kurdish and comes from Duhok. He did many art
activities back home, such as performance, theatre and singing
as well.
He says, “It is a huge step forward to have a Kurdish animated
film, especially in Europe.
I, as an actor, tried to do my best to make my part the best that it
can be.
The film shows absolutely pure Kurdish culture, such as houses,
clothes and tools, and even the way the characters talk, and I find
it a very important project.”
Salam Kassab (Zohak)
Salam is Kurdish, from Duhok. He currently lives in Hull in
England and is a volunteer for the ARKH organisation.
He says, “In fact, when I realised they were making a Kurdish
animated film, I was so pleased, especially when they asked me
to play a part in it. When I attended the studio, I found it a very
difficult job because I hadn’t read the film script and hadn’t had
any rehearsals - and I didn’t even know which role I was playing!
I would have been pleased with any role because I liked the idea
of the film. It is good to mention that this is the first time I have
ever done an art project in my life.
Some people have a very strong relationship with each other in
the film without even knowing each other in the real world. I
appreciate both directors of the film and everyone who has
participated in the film.”
Rebin Ahmad (Narrator)
“I am very happy and grateful to be playing the Narrator and
one of the townsmen in this animated movie. The reason I was
enthusiastic to take part in this movie is because the story is very
popular among a lot of nations in the Middle East and wider in
South East Asia, especially among Kurdish people, and Newroz
has become the symbol to struggle for the national liberation of
Kurdistan.
I believe that this movie will be most successful as there is very
little animation in the life and culture of Kurdish people. Looking at
samples from this movie, the efforts of the people who have been
working hard in this production are very clear.
Many thanks to every member of this production. They are
appreciated.”
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English Cast
Sermin Dohoki (Kawa’s wife)
Sermin is Kurdish and grew up in Germany. She finished her
education there.
She says, “When I was a child, I liked animated films and
cartoons a lot. I was always interested in getting involved with
any projects to do with animation to test my ability.
When I was asked to be a part of this project I quickly decided to
accept and I am very proud of myself for being a part of it.
I believe it is going to be a successful project based just on the
clips I have seen from the film.
There isn’t any other Kurdish project that has been done before
like this.”
Dom Heffer (Kawa)
Dom Heffer arrived in Hull to study for a degree in Fine Art in
2001, and has now lived in Hull ever since. He has been involved
in numerous theatrical enterprises, such as short films, festival
theatre, and set designing. He is currently part of Hull-based
theatre company The Pier Group and in rehearsals for the group’s
third production, to be performed in 2008.
He was led to the role of Kawa the Blacksmith by pure luck -
seeing an advert whilst shopping for a can of beans on Hull’s
Newland Avenue!
John Ainsworth (Zohak)
After briefly treading the boards in the Nineties as a member of
the 369 Theatre Company in Brighton, John’s show-biz career
has predominantly been on the production side of the business,
as a director and producer for Big Finish Productions. However,
he has occasionally lent his voice to a few audio plays. As well
as several tannoy voices, John also played a robotic butler in
the Judge Dredd audio drama, ‘For King and Country’ and was a
Lieutenant on a Victorian spaceship in the Space: 1889
adventure, ‘The Lunar Inheritance’.
On video, John was ‘Man with Tray’ in the celebrated spoof
Doctor Who documentary that is featured on the DVD box-set ‘In
the Beginning’.
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Goodwin Development Trust
Andrew Pittock (Narrator)
Andrew Pittock comes from Wales and became a son of the
desert by moving to Saudi Arabia as a babe in arms. Then via
Hull, Sunderland, France and London, Andrew came back to the
banks of the Humber at the tender age of thirty.
His acting experience has been limited to school and university
productions but he has dubbing and translation voice-over work
experience in France as well as compereing ‘Mr Octagon’ for the
Goodwin Development Trust.
As a member of Goodwin staff, Andrew was really pleased to land
the role of the narrator for The Legend of Kawa the Blacksmith
and is looking forward to his nieces and nephews hearing him
in the film. He has now developed a bit of a taste for stage and
Christine Brennan (Kawa’s wife)
Christine says, “I’m really pleased to be doing the voice for Kawa’s
wife in this really exciting project. I trained at the Welsh College
of Music and Drama years and years and years ago. Since then
I have been lucky to have continued acting in theatre, television
and radio drama. My last theatre production was Hound of the
Baskervilles in the summer of 2007, and I’ve appeared in various
telly dramas and soaps over the years. I’m a pretty regular occurrence
in Radio 4 dramas too.
I now, like many people in the acting profession, run various careers
at the same time. I have just been directing a documentary
in Bangladesh, which was a great experience. I’m hoping to do
some work in Kurdistan at some point this year too and it’s great
to know at least one tale.”
Peter McGurn, Chief Executive of Goodwin Development Trust, said, “We are very excited about the film and the
impact that it could have. This is a unique project that will help to promote Kurdish/British cooperation and interaction
in our growing multi-cultural society. From the start we were keen to involve the local community as a whole, bringing
together cultures to create something that can be enjoyed by everyone.
“When Stuart and Havi came to us with the idea, we recognised the great potential and benefit that could come from
the making of Kawa the Blacksmith and are delighted with the result.”
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Page 6
Film Gallery
Having lost six of his seven children, Kawa is
determined to go to King Zohak to plead for
the life of his last child.
King Zohak is cursed with two hungry, black
snakes by the demon Ahriman. When these
snakes grow hungry, they will only be satisfied
by being fed the brains of children.
The Legend of Kawa the Blacksmith shows
traditional Kurdish buildings, tools and
clothing, as in this scene where the villagers
await Kawa’s signal from the mountain.

Page 7
A Kurdish woman tries to hide her children
from Zohak’s guards. In the scene we see
a baby in a traditional Kurdish cradle, and
traditional Kurdish tools for turning fleece into
wool.
People from the village light a bonfire to
spread the news of Kawa’s victory over King
Zohak.
The people of Mesopotamia revolt against
the rule of King Jemshid the Fourth, little
realising that his successor will be the wicked
King Zohak.

Page 8
A map of the lands of Mesopotamia in 700
BC. This map was hand-painted, scanned
into the computer and applied as a texture to
a 3D object. This object was then animated.
The geography and place names on the map
were thoroughly researched before work
began.
Having defeated King Zohak, Kawa the
Blacksmith prepares to light the first bonfire of
Newroz on top of the Zagros Mountains.
People throughout the land lit fires to spread
the news of Kawa’s victory. This event marks
the start of the Kurdish calendar. Similar fires
are built every 21st March by Kurds across
the world to celebrate the Kurdish New Year.

Credits
CAST
(ENGLISH) (KURDISH)
DOM HEFFER KAWA RESHID KAWA
JOHN AINSWORTH ZOHAK SALAM KASSAB ZOHAK
ANDREW PITTOCK NARRATOR REBIN AHMAD NARRATOR
ANDREW ROLFE AHRIMAN ZIZO KUJER AHRIMAN
RICHARD DADD NICE GUARD ZIAD KASIM NICE GUARD
NASTY GUARD MOHAMMAD OMER ALI NASTY GUARD
CHRISTINE BRENNAN KAWA’S WIFE SERMIN DOHOKI KAWA’S WIFE
PAUL DAVID BEARDED MAN JAMAL KHAELANY BEARDED MAN
JACK GALAGHER TOWNSMAN REBIN AHMAD TOWNSMAN
IAN HAYLES COOK BEHZAD OMER SHORO COOK
PAUL MASTERS SHERI ATTAM SHERI ATTAM
ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES
HAVI IBRAHIM PALIN
STUART PALMER ATTENTION MAN
SHANI SHUKUR CRYING BABY
MUSICIANS
RASHED TITLE MUSIC
DILZAR SHANGA
SERWAT KUYI VIOLIN
NEWZAD LEZGIN LYRICIST, BACKING SINGER
DILZAR SHANGA BACKING SINGER
SOZAN SHANGA BACKING SINGER
DESHTI BACKING SINGER
SPLASH ANIMATIONS INCIDENTAL MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN
STUART PALMER SCRIPT WRITERS
HAVI IBRAHIM
BILIND MEHEMED OMER KURDISH CO-WRITER
ANDREA BEER PROMOTION
KIRSTY CUCKSON ADMINISTRATION
SU HUTCHCROFT
CLIVE DARNELL FUNDING COORDINATOR
SPLASH ANIMATIONS DESIGN & ANIMATION
STUART PALMER DIRECTORS
HAVI IBRAHIM
PETER McGURN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
HAVI IBRAHIM PRODUCERS
STUART PALMER
WITH THANKS TO THE GOODWIN DEVELOPMENT TRUST
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Contact Details
Address Address
Goodwin Development Trust Splash Animations
Goodwin Centre 79 Spring Bank
Icehouse Road Hull
Hull East Yorkshire
East Yorkshire HU3 1AG
HU3 2HQ
Telephone Telephone
01482 587550 07783 927440 (Havi Ibrahim)
07549 008350 (Stuart Palmer)
Website Website
www.goodwintrust.org www.splash-animations.com
email email
info@goodwin-centre.org kawa@splash-animations.com
This press pack is also available in Kurdish
© 2009 Splash Animations and the Goodwin Development Trust
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