A new children’s film is making history as the first Muslim animated feature to get a nationwide theatrical release in the United States.
The film, ‘Time Hoppers: The Silk Road,’ follows four students of the fictional Aqli Academy who travel back in time on a mission to protect popular historical scientists, including mathematician Al-Khwarizmi and the “Father of Modern Optics” Ibn Al-Haytham, from an evil, time-bending alchemist.
In an interview with Mehdi, co-writer and director Flordeliza Dayrit and producer Michael Milo discuss their goal of showcasing the rich history of contributions by Arabs and Muslims that “are rarely highlighted, yet they shape the world we live in today.”
“We really wanted to also honor the continuous legacy that a lot of our communities are doing in building, in supporting, as well as growing these different education institutions,” Dayrit tells Mehdi, noting that she wants viewers to see that the future and the past are very much connected.
“It’s so important that children have a better understanding of history, and especially Muslim children, that they feel themselves as part of the wider culture and that they see themselves as heroes,” Milo adds.
The animated film features the voices of prominent Muslim-Americans such as Omar Suleiman, Dalia Mogahed and Omar Regan.
Time Hoppers: The Silk Road has a US nationwide theatrical release on February 7 & 8. Check your local cinema for times. Click here for the trailer, and here for the fan site.
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