Time Hoppers: The Silk Road, a new animated feature from creators Flordeliza Dayrit and Michael Milo, takes young viewers on a time-travel adventure through the medieval Islamic world. The film, now in UK cinemas, follows four child heroes—Abdullah, Aysha, Khalid and Layla—as they pursue a rogue alchemist and protect key historical figures whose discoveries underpin modern science.
The children encounter influential scholars including Al-Khwarizmi, the 'father of algebra', Ibn al-Haytham, a pioneer of optics, and Maryam al-Astrulabi, a 10th-century Syrian woman who developed the astrolabe. The film also features Mansa Musa, the ruler of the Malian empire often considered the wealthiest person in history. Dayrit emphasises the importance of showcasing women scholars alongside men.
The project originated from Muslim Kids TV, a platform the couple founded nearly 20 years ago to address underrepresentation of Muslim children in media. Both Dayrit and Milo converted to Islam in 1995 and sought to create content where Muslim children could see themselves as heroes. 'It's not just about visibility, it's also about possibility,' Dayrit says.
The film aims to counter rising Islamophobia and negative portrayals of Muslims in the media. By reframing history to include contributions from Islamic scholars, the creators hope to show Muslim children that they belong. The production worked with researchers to ensure historical accuracy in architecture and costume.
Time Hoppers began as an ebook and later expanded into a game and an unreleased TV series before becoming a feature film. Its theatrical release in the UK has been well received, with children responding positively to learning about different cultures and histories.
