Surrey’s Wahid Ibn Reza debuts ‘After Us’ with the NFB, a CGI short inspired by wildfire devastation and the bond of two surviving animals.
A Surrey Creator Behind the Film
Wahid Ibn Reza, a Whalley resident and former actor from Bangladesh, is the filmmaker behind After Us, an animated short recently unveiled with the National Film Board of Canada. Once an engineer, Reza has built a career in Vancouver as a writer, filmmaker, and visual-effects artist with credits on Hollywood blockbusters.
A Story of Survival on Screen
The 3D-animated short follows a wolf and wolverine forging an unlikely bond while navigating a desolate world left behind after humanity’s disappearance. Billed by the NFB as “an epic CGI voyage,” the film reflects on resilience, hope, and the ties that connect living beings.
Premiered at Spark Animation Festival
The world premiere took place during Vancouver’s Spark Animation Festival, a showcase for cutting-edge animation. The screening marked the culmination of nearly five years of work on the project, which began in 2020 under the NFB’s rigorous creative development process.
Inspiration in a Photo of Crisis
Reza drew inspiration from a widely shared image of a koala standing in a fire-ravaged Australian forest. That moment, he said, sparked a need to tell a story from animals’ perspectives. “It was like the koala was asking, ‘What are you humans doing?’” Reza explained.
A Distinctive Artistic Approach
Rejecting both hyper-realism and cartoonish styles, Reza aimed to give the short the feel of a moving painting. The choice, he says, matched the gravity of its environmental themes and created imagery meant to linger in viewers’ minds long after the credits roll.
Contribution to Canada’s Film Legacy
With After Us, the NFB adds to its catalogue of over 14,000 works, including 39 new projects in the 2024–2025 fiscal year. In the same period, the agency reported nearly 90 million total views worldwide, with growing audiences in Canada and abroad.
A Message of Reflection and Responsibility
For Reza, the film is more than an artistic achievement. It’s a call to awareness in a time of ecological crisis. “Hopefully, the message stays with you,” he said, “and helps you make better choices.”
Your voice. Your city. Your news. Stay connected with Surrey Speak.
