It Could Have Been Me - كان من الممكن أن أكون أنا
12 minutes | Egypt | 2025
Synopsis:
It Could Have Been Me follows Yasmeen, a 10-year-old Palestinian-American girl, whose friendship with Sumoud, a refugee from Gaza, sparks a dream that transports her into Sumoud’s world. Through the eyes of a child, the film explores displacement, resilience, and the fragile line between their lives—asking a quiet but urgent question: What if this had been you?
Director Biography - Lina Abdulkarim
Lina Abdulkarim is a Palestinian-American mother, writer, and filmmaker. She is the creator of It Could Have Been Me, her debut animated short adapted from her award-recognized children’s book of the same title, praised by Kirkus Reviews and longlisted for the Palestine Book Awards. Lina self-funded and produced the film, bringing together a team of talented Palestinian artists whose lived experiences gave the project authenticity and heart. Through her film, she expands her mission into visual storytelling—exploring generational displacement, resilience, and the effects of war through a child’s eyes.
Originally trained as a healthcare professional, Lina left her career to raise her children and later reinvented herself as an author and filmmaker. Born in Jerusalem in 1987 and originally from the West Bank, her formative years living there deeply shape her identity and storytelling. Through both literature and film, Lina creates works that inspire dialogue, nurture empathy, and amplify underrepresented voices.