About this video
About the Project: "The Dawn of Damascus" is a speculative animated digital artwork conceived as a Master's graduation project. Although it is a personal student initiative and not an official commission, it was produced with industry-standard rigor to propose an opening teaser for the Damascus International Fair. The main objective of this film is to replace the usual imagery of conflict with a universal message of resilience, light, and hope. Concept & Storytelling: The film traces the poetic journey of Syria through a symbolic guiding thread: the jasmine flower, the emblem of Damascus. The narrative is divided into three distinct acts: The Golden Age: Carried by the jasmine, we discover the historical splendor, cultural richness, and prosperity of the Syria of the past. The Fracture: The atmosphere briefly shifts. Amidst the darkness, the jasmine is burned by the flames of war. This fracture is deliberately kept short to avoid dwelling on the tragedy. The Rebirth: The jasmine rises from its ashes to bring back the light. The pace accelerates to reveal a modern, vibrant city, concluding the film on the famous Sword Monument, historically erected for the International Fair. Art Direction & Workflow: To move away from stereotypical and orientalist representations, the visual universe is rooted in deep Syrian cultural references. Built on an organic 2D/3D flat design foundation, the project features photographic grain and intense chiaroscuro lighting to honor local craftsmanship and break away from digital coldness. The production relies on a hybrid workflow. It combines traditional manual design with Artificial Intelligence: Magnific AI (via Freepik) was used within a node-based workspace to sculpt light and populate complex environments like the historical souk, using custom illustrations as base references. Suno and Gemini were utilized to generate three distinct musical atmospheres, which were then seamlessly mixed to perfectly match the animation's timing.
About Karim ASFAR
Credits
Art Direction, Lead Animation & Project Management: Karim ASFAR Illustration & Co-Animation: Juan José Bueno Barbosa Illustration & Asset Design: Noah Luemba-Mbuku, Karim ASFAR Sound Design: Chloé Bilbault Young, Karim ASFAR Project Supervisor: Nicolas Gourault Produced as part of the Ydays program YNOV Paris Campus – 2025/2026