
Awake is a five-minute documentary animation built around Mahmoud Khalil’s writings from a sleepless night in U.S. immigration detention. Reflecting on separation from his family, the film considers the fragile promises of democracy, justice, and human dignity through a personal account presented in a compact format.
Awake is a 2026 documentary animation with a five-minute runtime. The film is based on writings by Mahmoud Khalil, who reflects on a sleepless night in U.S. immigration detention.
Its brief premise centers on separation from family and questions surrounding democracy, justice, and human dignity. With Khalil appearing as himself, Awake presents a personal account in a short-form documentary format.
Awake movie details
| Title | Awake |
|---|---|
| Release date | |
| Runtime | 5m |
| Genres | Documentary, Animation |
| Directors | Elyse Kelly, Dan Fipphen |
| Status | Released |
Story without spoilers
The film draws from Mahmoud Khalil’s writings during a sleepless night in U.S. immigration detention. Its focus is his experience of being separated from his family and his reflection on the promises associated with democracy, justice, and human dignity. The supplied synopsis does not indicate a broader plot beyond this personal perspective.

What to expect
Awake combines documentary and animation in a compact five-minute form. Viewers can expect a work grounded in personal writing and reflection rather than an extended narrative. Its subject matter points toward questions of detention, family separation, democratic ideals, justice, and human dignity, while the short runtime suggests a concentrated presentation.
Cast and creative team
Mahmoud Khalil appears as himself. Awake is directed by Elyse Kelly and Dan Fipphen. No writer is listed in the supplied credits.
- Mahmoud Khalil as Self
Release and production context
Awake is listed as a 2026 film with a release date of October 12, 2026. It is classified as a documentary and animation, and has a runtime of five minutes. The supplied information does not specify a country, spoken language, or production company.
Movies Dock view
With its short runtime and documentary-animation format, Awake focuses tightly on Mahmoud Khalil’s written reflections from immigration detention. The film’s stated subject is personal but connected to wider concerns about family separation, justice, democracy, and human dignity.
Frequently asked questions
What is Awake about?
Awake is based on Mahmoud Khalil’s writings from a sleepless night in U.S. immigration detention and reflects on family separation, democracy, justice, and human dignity.
What genre is Awake?
Awake is classified as a documentary and animation.
How long is Awake?
Awake has a runtime of five minutes.
Who directed Awake?
Awake was directed by Elyse Kelly and Dan Fipphen.
Who stars in Awake?
Mahmoud Khalil appears as himself.
Film data:
TMDB















