Allah Is Not Obliged
Allah Is Not Obliged is a 2025 animated film directed by Zaven Najjar adapted from a book of the same name written by Ahmadou Kourouma. It appeared in several film festivals, including the 2025 [Red Sea International Film Festival|Red Sea International Film Festival], the Annecy International [Animation Film Festival], and the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Plot
The film follows Birahima, a ten-year-old Guinean orphan, as he tries to meet his aunt in Liberia. Along the way, he falls into the throes of tribal warfare and is recruited to be a child soldier.Production
In addition to adapting Kourouma's novel, Najjar also spoke with Liberian war veterans. In particular, he spoke with a former general of the Liberians United for [Reconciliation and Democracy], who put him in contact with other veterans, brought him to several locations discussed in Kourouma's novel, and ultimately showed him a local perspective of Monrovia. During his travels, Najjar made sketches, began storyboarding the film."For budget reasons," the film was created by five animation studios.