When Lamya fled with her mother from Aleppo, Syria, she was able to take with her a book by the 13th century poet Rumi. In his poetry, Lamya finds inspiration during her journey to the unknown, and in its pages, she meets the young Rumi and accompanies him in her imagination as he flees war. Together they must confront evil, and it is Lamya who inspires Rumi to write the poem that saves her life 800 years later.

Alex Kronemer

The American director, documentary filmmaker, writer, commentator, and graduate of Harvard is also the co-founder of the Unity Productions Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes cultural exchange and understanding between world religions. Lamya’s Poem, which premiered at the prestigious Annecy film festival, is his animated feature film debut.