The Walled Cities event series returns with a unique theme for 2022: the impact of conflict on animals and children.

In many ways, Ziad is a lucky boy: his dad, Yacine, is a vet at the zoo and Ziad spends as much time as he wants with the zoo’s giraffes, his favourite animals. But Ziad lives in the West Bank.

When the male giraffe dies during an Israeli air raid, the traumatised female, Rita, stops feeding. Alarmed by Ziad’s despair, Yacine promises his son a miracle: he will find Rita a mate.

This entertaining adventure about a giraffe-obsessed boy is also a subtle reflection on the absurdities of life under occupation.

The screening will be followed by a discussion led by Dr Gul Kacmaz Erk, senior lecturer in Architecture at Queen’s University. Gul has two guest speakers: Dr Aisling Shannon Rusk and Dr Christine Ellison. Aisling is a licensed architect and director of Belfast-based practice Studio idir; her doctoral research focused on liminal spaces in Israel/Palestine and Northern Ireland. Christine is a research associate in the UNESCO Centre at Ulster University; her expertise is on conflict affected contexts and their impact on children’s lives and education.

This event is part of CACity presents: Walled Cities 4, a short film season exploring political conflict in divided communities and walled cities around the world. Presented by CACity (Cinema and Architecture in the City) Collaborative Research Group in collaboration with Film Hub NI and Foyle Film Festival.

A CineArch exhibition by MSc Advanced Architectural Design students in the QFT foyer will be opened by Prof Chris Johnson, Pro Vice Chancellor at the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Queen’s University, following this event. This interactive exhibition, which brings cinema and architecture together, can be visited at QFT between 6-27 April.

_{As we move into the next stage of life in the pandemic, you might like to read more our current measures. Find out more here. If you have any questions, we've got a new range of FAQs here, and you can email us on qftmanager@qub.ac.uk.}