The 21, is one of the most powerful movies of the year. . It’s the true story of 21 Christians martyred by ISIS in 2015 - normal people like you and me, willing to die rather than deny their faith in Jesus. This amazing movie will deeply inspire you. #the21movie. Watch it FREE this weekend Below:
The 2015 beheading of 21 Coptic Christians by ISIS
sent shockwaves across the globe and left a deep,
lasting impact on me personally. The martyrs’
steadfast faith in the face of overwhelming terror
was, and continues to be, both humbling and deeply
inspiring. When the opportunity arose to tell their
story, I embraced it wholeheartedly.
The creation of the film has been an incredible
journey. The story evolved slowly, shaped by
interviews with Coptic Christians, former ISIS
members, and journalists embedded with the
Libyan army. Spending time with the families of
the martyrs allowed me to better understand who
these men were, further deepening my admiration
for their courage and conviction.
The visual style of The 21 is rooted in traditional
iconography. Artists from Egypt, Syria, Ukraine,
and the United States contributed their expertise,
not only helping shape the aesthetic of the film but
also influencing my own approach to art. Animation
artists from around the
world lent their talents, each adding something
personal to the project.
My deepest hope is that The 21 serves as a tribute to
the martyrs and their families. In a world that seems
more than ever in need of such powerful examples
of faith and resilience, I believe their story is more
vital than ever.
- Tod Polson, Director
KEY INFLUENCES ON THE FILM’S AESTHETIC The most significant influences from Coptic iconography in The 21 film are seen in the use of line, shape, and color. Initially, the color palettes were too saturated. Early on, iconographer Nikola Sarić made a color palette to help guide the concept sketches. In the film, as in iconography, we tried to be very specific with our color. For example, we often used gold to represent the light of God. The broken landscapes often depicted in Coptic art helped guide our designs for the clouds, sea, and even the animated effects. The martyrs’ character designs are all subtle reflections of Christ, following Coptic Icon tradition. It was important to emphasize the eyes of the characters, another influence of Coptic art. To contrast with this, we took a more minimalist approach to the Isis designs, using simplified graphic forms and stripping away most of the color, and basically removing their eyes; removing their emotion and humanity. Much like in iconography, we leaned heavily into symbolism throughout the film. For instance, the birds symbolize the Holy Spirit, while the clouds and sea represent the presence of God. Because the story is deeply human, it was important to retain a handmade quality in the film, incorporating actual hand-painted textures. Much of the film was designed in the old square Academy aspect ratio to better reflect the more vertical feel of Coptic art. The square aspect ratio feels more intimate and our director felt that it might help the audience better relate to the characters. For the Libyan landscapes, a lot of inspiration was drawn from futurist and precisionist art, while the horrors captured by Vorticists like Lewis and Nevinson during WWI had a profound influence as well. Our director wanted to depict a broken, fractured world that mirrored the emotional states of the characters.
Source: Carmel Communications
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