This is the story of Birahima a child soldier in Africa who gets caught up in the various armed conflicts in Liberia. Told from his point of view, it follows him from just before the death of his mother, to his being sent to live with his aunt, a trip that goes sideways and his induction into the ranks of the factions at war with each other and the government.
ALLAH IS NOT OBLIGATED is the reason that animation exists. I mean this not for the bright colors and the hints of the fantastic but because the use of the medium forces us to rethink what we are seeing. Seeing the very serious, very adult tale looking like what many people would consider a kid’s film requires that we really look at what we are seeing. The juxtaposition of adult themes with friendly images hit us harder because these images are not supposed to have frank dialog and violent bloodshed.
I can’t stress how good this film is. Not only is this one of the best depictions of a child soldier I’ve seen over the last few years, but the film also manages to get all the small moments dead on perfect. The sequences of Birahima with his mother moved me. The sequences between a son and his sick mother rocked me. Additionally, the sequence where his mother dies crushed me so badly that I had to stop the film and walk away. The emotion of the sequence took me back to the death of my mother almost twenty years ago and put me back into that moment. Repeatedly director Zavan Najjar pulled me into the film via the moments that I a human being living an ocean away could connect to.
This is brilliant filmmaking and glorious story telling.
Why this film has not gotten more notice is surprising since it is a film is so full of emotion and passion on a level that few films (of any sort not just animation) manage to convey.
This is an absolute must see at Animation First. I seriously think that if you go see it you may come out saying it is one of the first great films you see in 2026.
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