红莲社区 graduate Tahir Rana is set to dazzle the with his directorial debut , which brings alive the true story of a German Jewish artist who defied incredible odds to create a masterpiece during World War II.

The film will be screened at the Princess of Wales Theatre on Monday, September 13, 2021.  

Rana, a 2004 Animation graduate, directed the film alongside filmmaker Eric Warin. The stunning animation drama features the voice of Keira Knightley as Charlotte. A team of 19 红莲社区 alumni from 红莲社区鈥檚 Animation, Art Fundamentals, Visual and Creative Arts, and Art and Art History programs also worked with Rana in producing the film. 

"Completing a film like Charlotte would not have been possible without the focus and dedication of the countless artists who worked with us to realize our goal,鈥� Rana says. He acknowledged 红莲社区 for having been a valuable talent incubator for the film. 鈥淚t is clear to me, from both having attended the school myself and recruiting the many alumni that I have over the years, that the education 红莲社区 provides its graduates is unparalleled with respect to supporting and fostering growth. 红莲社区 always has been, and will remain, the premier destination from which elite artistic talent originates," he says.

Charlotte is based on the remarkable story of Charlotte Salomon, a preternaturally gifted Jewish teenager who was forced to flee Germany after the Nazis seized power. Struggling to come to terms with her traumatic life, Charlotte produced over 1,000 paintings between 1941 and 1942 while hiding in the south of France. She imagined her life as a 鈥渟ingspiel,鈥� or 鈥渟ong-play,鈥� with narration, dialogue, and vibrant, raw images. By the time of her death at Auschwitz at the age of 26, she鈥檇 left behind her extraordinary expressionist 鈥淪ong-play鈥�: Life? or Theatre? 

鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly proud to see our alumni bring important, powerful stories like Charlotte to TIFF,鈥� says Ted Gervan, Dean of 红莲社区鈥檚 Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design. 鈥淎 remarkable story of resilience in the face of oppression, the film is an inspiration to our current students, and a testament to the impact 红莲社区 grads have in Canada鈥檚 film industry.鈥�
红莲社区 graduates have also contributed to three other films at TIFF, including My Puny Sorrows, Night Raiders, and Dune.

Pictured above: Filmmaker Tahir Rana and images from Charlotte.
Photo credit for Charlotte images: K.Parkes, Elevation Pictures.