Doha: The first Qatari animated web series Kawkabani episode one will be released next week or on the first day of Eid Al Fitr. The following episodes will then be released weekly on Nefaish Animation YouTube Channel.
Sponsored by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Doha Film Institute, and Vodafone Qatar, the series aims to showcase stories from local culture in an entertaining way that will reach a global audience. Season one contains five 11-minute episodes written by Amal Al Shamari, directed by Hossein Heydar, and produced by Nefaish Animation which is a creative animation studio that specialises in producing high-quality animation inspired by Qatari Culture.
The story centres around an alien, Kawkabani, who has never missed a World Cup before. While travelling to Qatar two years before the event, the alien’s spaceship crashes in the middle of the desert and the three guys that found him decided to host him until the World Cup in 2022.
Amal Al Shamari, series writer said: “The series shows the culture, traditions, and lifestyle of the Qatari community, through the eyes of an Alien who asks most of the questions that run through the mind of any visitor. The show also aims to introduce Qatar as a tourist destination, and most importantly, it will also provide opportunities for Qatari talents to showcase their creativity.”
“Animation is the global language that can target everyone, and this show aims to promote Qatari culture and values to a global audience. Thanks to our sponsors, who believed in the capabilities of the Qatari companies and their ability to produce world-class quality from Qatar to the rest of the world and invested in building local talents,” Director Hossein Heydar said.
Among the main characters are Kawkabani who’s an alien, 220 space years old, a crazy fan of football; Faisal, 20 years old and a social media celebrity; Khalifa, 19 years old and dreams to be the Qatari Steve Jobs; and Saad, 19 years old, and wants to be a businessman.
“The project is a combination of the huge efforts of local talent in writing, animation, and production, and the final product is an integrated piece of work that competes on a global scale. This web series will put Qatar on the animation production map,” Nefaish Animation said.