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Ten years ago, 21 Christians were brutally murdered by Islamic State on a beach in Libya.

After serving approximately seven weeks in captivity, the migrant workers were paraded in front of cameras and then beheaded one by one.

Tortured, bribed, and facing death, the 21 still refused to convert to Islam by denouncing their faith in Jesus Christ.

Now, a decade since the choreographed massacre, Coptic Solidarity (CS) has put its full support behind a new 13-minute animation marking their martyrdom.

Written and directed by Tod Polson, the 2D neo-Coptic animation known as The 21 was worked on by over 70 artists from 70 countries over a period of five years.

Sound engineer and multi-lingual musician Shafik Bastawrous narrated the project.

Actor Jonathan Roumie was an executive producer.

Forgiveness and Mercy

Roumie, who played the role of Jesus in The Chosen, took to X to promote the film, saying,

“The film deserves to be seen by the largest audience possible. It will move you, inspire you, and encourage you!”

In a separate X space, Roumie paid tribute to the families’ “resilience and unfathomable Christ-like compassion.”

Noting the families’ peace through forgiveness, he said, the film also speaks to the value of religious freedom in the West.

The idea for an animated film about the massacre is credited to Mark Rodgers and Mandi Hart.

Rodgers and Hart are both with MORE Productions, whose work includes the feature film Silence.

Rodgers’ CV includes Walden Media (Narnia), and Cave Pictures Publishing where he works alongside Hart.

Director Tod Polson told Animation Magazine,

“Rodgers was travelling in Egypt when he had a vision to bring the story of the 21 to life.”

Both “Hart and Rodgers carried the initial vision, and raised the funds to make the film,” he explained.

They then approached Polson, who went and met with the families of the 21 to better recall the events.

“Despite their immense loss, they held no hatred toward the men who killed their loved ones,” he recounted.

“Instead, they wanted to share a message of forgiveness and mercy.

“Their grace impacted me deeply, and I strived to bring their message of forgiveness into the film,” Polson remarked.

God’s Presence

Original music for the short film was created by Scottish-Egyptian classical music sister duo Sarah and Laura Ayoub with the help of Layth Siّdiq Al-Rubaye and Hayat Selim.

“Learning about the journey of the 21 Martyrs has been an inspiring and humbling journey,” the sisters wrote on Instagram.

“We are honoured to have had the opportunity to pay tribute to them in this way through music.”

Sharing a section of the film to X, Sarah and Laura said their favourite moment was “where the men join together in prayer and feel God’s presence with them.”

@21MartyrsFilm soundtrack is out today. This film score is the culmination of 5 year journey. Here is a segment of one of our favourite moments in the film, where the men join together in prayer and feel God’s presence with them. Listen to EP here – https://t.co/JBS5ZoWfH0 🎧 pic.twitter.com/Qida8567OQ

— The Ayoub Sisters (@TheAyoubSisters) February 14, 2025

The 21 was shortlisted for an Academy Awards nomination in December.

The Colson Centre, an avid supporter of persecuted Christians, gave the 13-minute short film its backing, stating,

“What Islamic State intended for evil, God is still using to proclaim to millions the name of His Son.”

Honouring their memory in an email sent out to supporters, Coptic Solidarity president Caroline Doss said,

“Each year on February 15, Coptic Solidarity honours the sacrifice and memory of all modern Coptic martyrs.”

Especially “the millions of Copts who struggle through each day as living martyrs.”

Coptic Christians “are oppressed and subjugated by the Egyptian government and the society at large, for no other reason than their Christian faith,” CS added.

“This year, we encourage all of our supporters to view this short film.”

Kyrie Eleison!

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Republished with thanks to Caldron Pool.