In a press release, the Doha Film Institute (DFI) announced that it had begun work on an animated feature based on Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet."

Along with Participant Media, MyGroup Lebanon, FFA Private Bank, JW Entertainment and Code Red Productions, DFI is co-financing the project, which will be produced by Hollywood actress Salma Hayek, Clark Peterson and Ron Senkowski.

"'The Prophet' has been an incredible source of wisdom and inspiration for millions of people all over the world. Being of Lebanese descent, I’m particularly proud to be part of a project that will present this masterpiece to new generations, in a way never seen before,” DFI quoted Hayek as saying.

A number of distinguished directors are involved with the project, including Marjane Satrapi (Oscar-nominated director of "Persepolis"), Chris Landreth (Oscar winner for film short "Ryan"), Tomm Moore (Oscar-nominated for the film "The Secret of Kells"), Nina Paley (Berlin Film Festival winner for "Sita Sings the Blues"), Mohammed Saeed Harib (creator of hit television series "Freej"), Michal Socha, Francesco Testa, Joan Gratz (Oscar winner for "Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase") and Bill Plympton (Oscar-nominated for "Guard Dog" and "Your Face").

In the press release, DFI Executive Director Amanda Palmer commented: “Through cinema, we have a unique opportunity to also introduce a new generation to the profound works of Gibran in a way never experienced before. It’s a passion project for everyone involved, led by Salma’s determination to create a truly collaborative artistic approach to this universally loved novel."

"The Prophet" is one of the best-selling books of all time, having sold over 100 million copies since its original publication in 1923. The Lebanese-born Gibran is the third most-read poet in history after Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu, and has been translated into more than 40 languages.