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.
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