Tutu: The Untold Story of a Kingdom

If you are around in Ghana on Friday the 20th December then it may be worth looking out for the screening of Tutu: The Untold Story of a Kingdom, pitched as an animated series, this story tells of

Osei Tutu and the rise of the 17th century Ashanti Kingdom located in what is now modern day Ghana, West Africa. Our main characters Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye embark on a journey to unite divided Akan clans.

The animation looks promising as its development was informed by research into local narratives and cultures. With magical characters like Okomfo Onokye and strong female characters like Abena Bensua, sister of the King, this so-called traditional tale has contemporary resonances. AnimaxFYB is the studio based in Ghana that will be developing this project with director Francis Yushau Brown, this animation looks is planned to be an animated series of 13 minutes with 24 minute running time over 3 seasons.
Tutu Concept Event Screening: Date: Friday December 20th, 2019 Where: Alliance Française (Accra, Ghana) Time: 7pm Cost: 20GHC

AAFFIA - ACCRA Animation Festival Announces its Winners

The AAFFIA animation festival has announced its first festival winners from 21 entries and 13 finalists - congratulations to Natasha Nayo & Lizz Johnson, Chekwube Okonkwo and Selorm Dogoe.

Between 27th July and the 2nd August, the festival ran a number of different events and panels

AUG2

Crossing International Borders Fri 15:00 UTC · 47 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

AUG1

Comic Production - Leti Arts Masterclass Thu 15:00 UTC · 45 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL31

Women in African Animation Wed 17:00 UTC · 57 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL31

Foundation in Storytelling Masterclass Wed 15:00 UTC · 30 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL30

Accra Animation Film Festival - Acting for Animation Masterclass Tue 15:00 UTC · 120 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL28

Enter the Vortex Sun 15:00 UTC · 39 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL27

Animation in Music Videos Sat 16:00 UTC · 162 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL27

Panels & Chat Bubbles Sat 15:00 UTC · 16 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

JUL27

Accra Animation Film Festival 27 Jul–2 Aug · 72 guests

Basecamp Initiative Accra, Ghana

NIgerian animation studio making waves... Magic Carpet Studios

Magic Carpet Studios are based in Lekki, Lagos and look to be a force on the African animation scene. My recent visit to Lagos included a visit to their studios where a met a great team of animation enthusiasts. Their animations range between 2D and 3D and include a range of styles. My favourite things about their animations are the layout and design, fantastic timing and laugh out loud comedy. I included a couple of my favourites below






The studio is also embarking upon its first feature length animation based on an adaptation of the book "The passport of Mallam Ilia" by the Nigerian literary legend, Cyprian Ekwensi. 
The sneak peek we got of the teaser trailer has great design and action and looks intriguing so we should keep an eye out for this animation. 

Afrofuturism and Feminism

As a keen follower of The Nest Collective and Jepchumba and her website AfricanDigitalArts, this video is worth a watch from the BOZAR: Connects Africa events.

SquidMag.Ink a great online resource for animation, comics and games from Africa

SquidMag is a website that offers a great selection of news on animation, games and comics from the continent. In their own words they aim to be....

the go-to resource to find the best works of art across comics, video games and animation and to start conversations about the geekdom we love so much.

Squid Mag was started by Kofi Sydney Asare and KaDi Yao Tay in 2015. The Squid Mag team comprises Cassandra Mark, Kevin Sampong, Kiyindou Yamakasi, Dela Attikesse, Fafa and Elom MacAuley and Elizabeth Temitayo Johnson.

We are on a mission to alter the African narrative through channels atypically associated with Africa.

Definitely worth a visit.

Ghanian animator Bertil Toby Svanekiaer

Ghanian animator Bertil is making some waves producing short animations and music videos...
As reviewed on SquidMag his animation Chaskele

Chaskele, the animation, however, was more. It was a movement, a call to arms for the nerds who loved the game, for nostalgic old souls and people who loved “cartoons” and animation even more. Chaskele, the film, was a welcome re-imagination of an otherwise straightforward game that added subtle complexities such as some awesome Adinkra symbologies within a very modern context.

 Read more about his work on MESH

FESPACO's 50th Edition and the first ever Rencontres Africanes du Film d'Animation

This year's FESPACO saw the addition of a 5-day animation workshop program that included mentoring, training and pitching as its themes. Amongst the attendees was Mohamed Ghazala, the Egyptian animation and new vice-president of ASIFA, Cilia Sawadogo, the Burkinabe animator based at Concordia, the Senegalese filmmaker Moussa Moise Toure who established the first animation school in Dakar, and enthusiastic animators from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Tunisia and Madagascar.

The winning prize was awarded to Comfort Arthur from Ghana, known for her animation 'Black Barbie' (2016).

BBC Story on Nigerian Animation

A story on the growing animation sector in Nigeria.