In downtown Jerusalem, next to a mall and busy bus stop, stands a small doorway in a stone facade. This freestanding relic is the only remaining wall of a girls’ school built in the late 1800’s. The word “Talithakumi” is carved on a sign over the arch, and the doorway leads only to an imaginary place.

“Talithakumi” comes from a story in the book of Mark. A girl is dying. Her father travels to beg a rabbi to come heal her, but the girl dies while he is asking. Jesus, the rabbi, arrives and tells the family calmly that the girl is only asleep. He holds the girl’s hand and says to her in Aramaic, “talitha, kumi” or “little girl, I say to you, arise.” She gets up and lives.

Kumi means arise. The goal of Kumi Films is to awaken a childlike hope and imagination in myself and others through crafting visual narratives. I also write reflections on the journey to cultivate deep attention, to remember the wells of meaning I’ve drawn from over the years. I invite friends and fellow sojourners to accompany me by following my blog and posts.

Professionally, my films and client projects often feature inspiring or unusual individuals who inhabit liminal spaces. In contrast, I've also directed short films with animated time-traveling donkeys, write whimsical screenplays, and illustrate children's stories. I swing from fantasy to reality on a daily basis, and I’m hoping to land somewhere in between. At the moment, I’m a producer on a feature documentary and directing an independent fantasy short film. I’m based in Richmond, Virginia, though I grew up between the Middle East and the U.S. My work has received awards and been selected for screening at multiple festivals. Please see my LinkedIn for my resume.

Feel free to reach out with inquiries or ideas for collaboration.

Thank you for visiting,

Aria Swarr