Powerful Animated Film ‘The 21’ Honors Coptic Martyrs on the 10th Anniversary of Their Execution

On Friday, Feb. 14, the eve of the 10th anniversary of the brutal execution of 21 Coptic Christians by ISIS in Libya, MORE Productions released “The 21,” a powerful animated short film honoring their sacrifice.

The film, executive produced by “The Chosen” star Jonathan Roumie, can be viewed here.

“The 21” brought together more than 70 artists from 24 countries for a collaboration with the global Coptic community to tell the story of the men who stood firm in their faith despite facing death.

On Feb. 15, 2015, ISIS released a video of the execution of 21 Coptic Christian prisoners, who were captured and later beheaded on a Libyan beach. The chilling footage was meant to instill fear, but for many, it became a testament to the unwavering faith of the men, who refused to renounce Jesus Christ even in the face of death.

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Producer Mandi Hart, president of MORE Productions, told ChurchLeaders that the idea for “The 21” originated after her business partner, Mark Rodgers, visited Egypt in 2019. While attending the opening of a new Coptic Cathedral, he spent time in Cairo’s Garbage City, a Coptic Christian neighborhood. There, he saw images of the 21 martyrs displayed throughout homes and buildings.

Rodgers returned home determined to tell these martyrs’ story with dignity and accuracy. Early discussions led to the decision to use animation, both to handle the brutal subject matter with sensitivity and to incorporate Coptic iconographic traditions.

“It’s a very brutal story,” Hart said. “Traditional documentary is not the best approach for such subject matter, and also difficult when you have so many characters who have rather obscure backstories—so we knew that animation would be more palatable.”

Hart emphasized the significance of “The 21” as more than just a story about the 21 martyrs—it represents 2,000 years of Coptic Christian persecution and faithfulness.

MORE Productions saw its role as providing “a canvas for the Coptic community to paint their own story,” Hart explained. While this film honors the 21, “scholars estimate that millions” of Coptic Christians have been martyred throughout history.

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“It was really important for us that we handled the story in a gentle way, but also in a very truthful way, because it is very brutal what they experienced,” Hart said.