Mysoon AlRammal
LA26 Industry Builder Fellow
Think back to childhood. Where does your mind go? Swirling around those memories likely lives a fondness for nostalgic cartoons. Why is it that, societally, we present our children with these animated films? It’s simple, really: they harness the ability to introduce important topics in a gentle yet powerful way. So powerful that their lessons stick with us for a lifetime. Animation can do the same for adults. That potential is not lost on Saudi-based visual development artist and producer Mysoon AlRammal.
In addition to cartoons, Mysoon was surrounded by the creative work of her father who is an artist: characters he drew up, poetry he wrote, literature he had collected. It was compiled in a large library, which happened to be home to a volume of Disney stories with flip-book animations hidden within its pages. “As a kid,” Mysoon says, “I’d spend my weekends flipping through and copying those flip-book animations on my sticky notes. I’d trace over the characters. I’d combine [them], making [them into] my own.” Flash forward to her time at Princess Nourah University – a teacher recommended she look at, you guessed it, the same exact Disney book. Too rare of an event to be a coincidence. This was something more. “Maybe it’s fate,” Mysoon remembers thinking.
Mysoon was part of Princess Nourah University’s first cohort, comprised of roughly 30 women, to graduate with a degree in Filmmaking and Animation. The program gave her unique opportunities and a priceless platform to kickstart her career in film. For four years, Mysoon and her peers were involved in perfecting the syllabus. As a member of the student council, there was a continuous stream of communication between Mysoon and the professors. She developed a steadiness in her own voice, advocating not only for the betterment of her own education, but also for those who would follow: “It’s so much easier for [the younger classes] to gain the knowledge we had to like fight for.” There’s a deep-rooted sense of community that Princess Nourah University has fostered between its students and alumni. Mysoon graduated with a portfolio filled with Saudi film festival nominations and shortlists, an irreplaceable network of peers, and the confidence to champion her own work.
A long-term goal of hers is to transition into directing, where she can create narrative-driven projects. “Right now, in the Saudi film industry, we don’t have many stories or films focused directly on emotions or women,” Mysoon continues, “It’s all comedy, which is a start into the industry, but it’s not something that feels big. I want us as a community, as Saudis, to really focus on our culture and the emotions that are entangled in it.” Mysoon has always been drawn to intense topics that overflow with emotion; complex themes of identity, self-image, and the impacts of a community’s culture. Exploring these topics “opens up a whole other dimension of oneself,” she explains. But creating content that spans these ideas is no easy feat.
Mysoon elaborates: “There have been people who [have] made stories that are intense and emotional, but they’ve gotten so much backlash over it.” When sensitive topics are approached, it’s “like you’re touching a part that’s supposed to be hush-hush, you’re not supposed to discuss these things,” she says, “Which is why I want to be able to break that barrier.” Deterred by the stigma? No. Mysoon is motivated by it.
As Mysoon sees it, this is where the depth of animation is so valuable. In the visual storytelling atmosphere, animation combines everything together: movement, sound, pacing. It will give Mysoon a means to introduce complicated, mature topics in an indirect, digestible manner.
As a member of the Sunflower Seed Foundation’s LA26 Animation Intensive, Mysoon will be coming to Los Angeles to participate in a crash course in 3D animation production. Her goal is to strengthen her skills around making films that are not only appealing visually but also attractive from a business perspective. The experience will take her one step closer to achieving her dreams.
Mysoon’s is a story of invisible strings. A fondness for her dad’s artwork, the reemergence of a nostalgic book, the start of a pilot program for women in film just as she was embarking on higher education. These moments are seemingly guiding Mysoon to her calling – the calling to lead her own charge into a genre bursting at the seams with untapped potential. Wielding her determination and the tools she has picked up along the way, Mysoon is preparing to introduce important, emotional storylines that will enhance the tapestry of the Saudi film and television industry.
Written by Sydney Leclerc
