March 21, 2024 – Shine Global is thrilled to announce that “Dounia – The Great White North” has been honored with the Unstoppable Kids Prize co-presented with New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF). This new prize is given to a film that highlights the resilience and strength of children in the face of adversity.  The winner of the Unstoppable Kids Prize is awarded $2,500 and an invitation to participate in Shine Global’s Resilience Awards events.

The animated film, directed by Marya Zarif and André Kadi, is a follow up to the 2022 film “Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo,” which follows a six-year-old Dounia as she journeys across Syria and around the world seeking asylum.  In “Dounia – The Great White North,” Dounia and her grandparents slowly get to know Canada, the new home that welcomed them.  As Dounia adjusts to the new land, language, and culture, she must also live with the trauma of war and the absence of her father.

“The film beautifully captures Dounia and her family’s resilience as they adjust to their new home as refugees, illustrating both the power of compassion and the importance of embracing differences,” said Alexandra Blaney, the Creative Director at Shine Global. “Dounia and her circle of friends and neighbors all exhibit an unstoppable spirit of optimism and joy. The film exemplifies our vision of a world in which children can thrive, and we are honored to present the Unstoppable Kids prize to “Dounia – The Great White North.”

Co-director Marya Zarif expressed her gratitude, stating, “Dounia is indeed an unstoppable kid with great spirit and a huge appetite for life. I dedicate this to all the little heroes who live under the bombs or under siege and despite all the horrors remain beautiful and inspiring.”

André Kadi, co-director, added, “Resilience is so much related to our film’s subject; it’s very touching to be awarded the Unstoppable Kids Prize. Heartfelt thanks to NYICFF and to Shine Global.”

Producer Judith Beauregard also added praise for Rahaf Ataya, who voices the main character of the film, Dounia. “Rahaf was able to breathe freshness and candor into the endearing character of Dounia. Rahaf and her family fled Syria in 2016 and came to Canada as refugees. Rahaf is now a Canadian citizen and studies in Montreal. She is a perfect example of resilience, as is Dounia”

“Dounia – The Great White North” is a poignant reminder of the resilience and strength found within children, inspiring audiences worldwide.

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About Shine Global

Shine Global is a non-profit media company that improves the lives of children by telling powerful stories to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about underserved children. Through tailored distribution and outreach, we connect with our audiences in communities, classrooms, museums, and on Capitol Hill as part of a powerful engagement campaign to encourage social change.

Since our founding in 2005, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente and an Academy Award®-nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance. Recent films include the documentary-animation hybrid Liyana, the hit documentary The Eagle Huntress, Through Our Eyes: Homefront which is available on HBOMax, and the Ariel Award winner Home Is Somewhere Else, which is currently in festivals.

ABOUT SHINE GLOBAL’S RESILIENCE AWARDS

This annual event recognizes and celebrates the films and filmmakers that highlight the resilience and strength of children in the face of adversity. The awards are open to films of any genre that showcase children overcoming challenges, such as poverty, violence, illness, and discrimination, and demonstrate their resilience, courage, and determination.

About NYICFF

Established in 1997, NYICFF’s mission is rooted in the belief of film as a path for young people to understand themselves and others. All programs are designed to celebrate the beauty and power of film, spark the inherent capacity of children to connect with complex, nuanced art, and encourage the creation of intelligent films that represent and celebrate unique, diverse, and historically excluded voices. NYICFF serves children, students, families, educators, filmmakers, and media arts professionals through its core activities: the annual, Oscar®-qualifying NYC film festival and national touring program; Film-Ed, a media arts and literacy program; and year-round special events.  https://nyicff.org/