Doppler Effect
Radio
2026
English / Arabic
Credits
Written by Qasem Waleed
Edited and directed by Alan Alpenfelt
Music and sound by Silvia Cignoli
Produced by Vanni Bianconi / Litmus
Awards
︎ Best Production at the 24. Hoerspielsommer Festival - Leipzig
https://hoerspielsommer.de/
Qasem Waleed is a 28-year-old physicist who has lived in Gaza his whole life. Since the beginning of the latest tragedy in Gaza, Qasem has been writing about the chaos and violence of Israel’s military bombardments and how they devastate his and his family's lives. In Doppler Effect, Qasem has tried to find a way to describe Gaza, the reality in which he has been living in, through the lens of science, specifically through quantum mechanics. "as a physicist, my favourite question was - are we alone in the universe? Since the genocide, I must however now reflect on a much smaller scope, are we alone on Earth?"
Laudatio by the 24. Leipziger Hoerspielsommer jury:
This year's Leipzig Radio Play Summer International Competition once again showcased a wide range of ideas and themes, exploring the full spectrum of aural design and the possibilities of the radio play format. The following piece unites all these elements, making a particularly strong impression on the jury with its unique and powerful production.
There are topics we'd rather ignore. In times of war, displacement, injustice, and instability around the world, news reports are overwhelming, the atrocities are almost incomprehensible, and our focus is scattered.
Yet, with his production of "Doppler Effect," Qasem Waleed compels us to listen. We float with him above all that has happened as he recalls the beginning of the war in Gaza, his homeland. What does it mean for him to live in war? He is the narrator, no longer wondering whether we are alone in the universe, having realized that he seems to be on Earth, in this world. His words break off, stutter, struggle to be spoken, and are lost in the echo.
In this way, he manages to make his war experience accessible to listeners through the unique and absolutely masterful production of the radio play, earning him the jury's award for best production. Many thanks to Qasem Waleed, who, with the "Doppler Effect," succeeds in creating art, even in the face of violence and chaos, that will linger in the listener's mind long after the credits roll, prompting reflection and deeply moving the listener.
This year's Leipzig Radio Play Summer International Competition once again showcased a wide range of ideas and themes, exploring the full spectrum of aural design and the possibilities of the radio play format. The following piece unites all these elements, making a particularly strong impression on the jury with its unique and powerful production.
There are topics we'd rather ignore. In times of war, displacement, injustice, and instability around the world, news reports are overwhelming, the atrocities are almost incomprehensible, and our focus is scattered.
Yet, with his production of "Doppler Effect," Qasem Waleed compels us to listen. We float with him above all that has happened as he recalls the beginning of the war in Gaza, his homeland. What does it mean for him to live in war? He is the narrator, no longer wondering whether we are alone in the universe, having realized that he seems to be on Earth, in this world. His words break off, stutter, struggle to be spoken, and are lost in the echo.
In this way, he manages to make his war experience accessible to listeners through the unique and absolutely masterful production of the radio play, earning him the jury's award for best production. Many thanks to Qasem Waleed, who, with the "Doppler Effect," succeeds in creating art, even in the face of violence and chaos, that will linger in the listener's mind long after the credits roll, prompting reflection and deeply moving the listener.