Animation Festivals in Morocco

As I currently work away on a chapter for a book on Arab animation, my research into Moroccan animation has come up with some exciting examples... for those interested in getting a flavour of animation from Morocco, and a wider international lineup of artists have a look at the festivals FICAM in Meknes and Casanim in Casablanca.

Ghana's Children's Animated Series Anokye

The animated series Anokye: The Truth of Destiny presents the story of ' the adventures of the young magician Anokye and his best friend Prince Osei as they battle to free the people from the evil King and save the sacred forest' it is currently in production in Ghana. Producer Akua Ofosuhene has launched a kickstarter project that details the series can can be found here Anokye

Kenyan Digital Creatives Rock!

Whilst not only featuring animation, this short trailer features a bunch of Kenyan artists that are straddling different forms of art and engaging with a range of digital technologies... including Kaggia, Just a Band, Bob Muchiri and others...

Check out Stocktown's  trailer for Afripedia on Kenya

Afripedia Kenya trailer from Stocktown on Vimeo.

Motion Capture Suite in Kigali, Rwanda

Africa Digital Media Academy in Kigali announced the arrival of its Motion Capture Suite (the first of its kind) on September 22nd. The academy that employs Kenyan animator Alfred Muchilwa as their lead animation instructor. This is the third country on the continent following Nigeria and South Africa to secure these facilities, with a view to contribute to the growth of the creative industries in this sector.
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Animation Training in Dakar

BBC World News - 'Embracing Animation in Africa' ran a story on a new initiative based in Dakar that uses EU funding to train 10 African artists in animation. The artists come from various countries including Senegal, Mali, Madagascar, Congo and Comor...Their work includes 2D and 3D animation and upon completion they will return back to their countries with seed funding to make their own films. You can watch the video at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29009063?SThisFB

Politicised Creativity PAWA254

Kenya's Creative Hub for political and social action through the arts and digital media is mobilising Kenyan youth through different workshops. Amongst their very comprehensive lineup, they included some animation workshops by Allan Mwaniki on 9th August 2014 - title Pencil to Pixels - this is one of a series in collaboration with the Association of Animation Artistes Kenya.

Check out PAWA254!

Mike Scott's animated interjections on music video....

South African animator Mike Scott recently announced the release of this music video for his brother's band... in his words... it's pretty Kiff!

Interview with Jean Michel Kibushi

Winners for BUSTED 2014 - Well Done All!

Well Done to all those involved in the A3 BUSTED Animation Competition - the entries were great!
Here are some pictures of the winners receiving their prize...
Congratulations

First place -  Rabii Kinyogoli 

Second place -  AMP 

Third place -  Addmaya

Honourable Mention, Kiss and Tell by Domestic Disturbance. 

Honourable Mention, Police Busted, By Alex Kirui.

and lots more great animations!

A3 Kenya Launch their Animation Competition - 'BUSTED'

The Kenyan Association of Animation Artists (A3) Organisation is launching a great 30 Second Competition under the theme BUSTED. The prizes are great incentive to get on board 100,000 Kenyan Shillings (1200 USD) for the first prize. Anyone can apply and upload their work online... the deadline is coming up soon 25th of May and I am excited to see the entries. For more information you can contact the Association of Animation Artists Kenya on their Facebook page

'Outcasts of Jupiter' by the Coker Cooperative

Coker Coop are launching their kickstarter project the super slick and sexy 'Outcasts of Jupiter' a comic book... check out Kenneth Coker's digital sculpts as well.

AfricandigitalArt does TED Talks

African Digital Art founder Jepchumba gives a great account of the start of the website AfricaDigitalArt at TEDtalks The site includes a collection of members interested in African Digital Art, including a group on African Animation.

animated shorts, social networking, and lots of determination... Kenyan animation by MMuthiga and Fatboy Animation

Micheal Muthiga's animated shorts have been regularly featuring on social media circles garnering an online following sufficient to encourage him to start up his own animation company Fatboy Productions in Nairobi, Kenya. Muthiga worked on the Tinga Tinga Tales series before setting up his company. He has his own Youtube Channel where you can watch his collection of shorts, at mmuthiga. 

Here is an interview with him about his journey on NTV's AMLive 



You can also read the Business Daily story about his company and animations run on Feb 06 2014.

Archiving African Animation - FCAT

Although this archive is not strictly an archive for animation, and includes film. The FCAT film archive includes a healthy selection of African animation. FCAT also runs a yearly African Film Festival in Cordoba. This archive is an important addition to bodies that are preserving and documenting African animation.

You can see the list of all films and animations at FCAT


These include

Animación (69)

• Ma Gaal Dikhan
• 21ème Siècle
• A mãe dos netos
• Agaïssa
• Anomalías eléctricas
• Blad schizophrène
• Bon Voyage Sim
• Carnet noir
• Champion
• Cortos animados egipcios
• Ding Dong
• Down Rising
• El viaje de Saïd
• Famila
• Fleur de pierre
• Forest Chainsaw Massacre
• Fragment de vie
• Give Me Spray
• Guess Who's Coming for Dinner
• HM HM
• Honayn's Shoe
• Humburgun
• J'ai bu du café dans un café
• Ki l'ambouba
• Kinshasa Septembre noir
• Kirikou et la sorcière
• Kirikou et les bêtes sauvages
• Kokoa
• Krash
• L'Ami y'a bon
• L'Arbre aux esprits
• L'Arrêt du bus
• L'enfant Roi
• L'Enfant terrible
• L'Île
• La cita
• La Ruse du lièvre
• Le crapaud chez ses beaux-parents
• Le Guerbag
• Le Quotidien des automates
• Le Voyageur
• Les aventures de Guédé
• Les Deux Souris blanches
• Lie / Les Coulisses de lie
• L’Enfant Roi
• Maalesh
• Madagascar, Carnet de voyage
• Muana Mboka
• Naissance
• One and Five
• Oni Ise Owo
• Prince Loseno
• Rakire
• Revolution
• Ryeh
• Sacou Wala Bouteil
• Salade
• Samba le grand
• Samurai song
• Shiku Song
• Sopo
• Sur les murs de la ville
• Tengers
• The Tale of How
• Tiga au bout du fil
• Tiga guérisseur
• Trip
• Varavarankely
• Warda

2D Animation... All about Kenya: Made in Kenya

Kwame Nyongo's animation for EU and Kenya

Democracy, Internet and Just a Band....

The New York Times recently ran a story about the rise of a new generation of artists in Kenya like the particular band... collective... artists... known as Just a Band who straddle the popular and high art seamlessly moving across different spaces. Their rise in part has been facilitated by the Internet and related technologies and you can view all of their work on Youtube Channel JustABandWidth.
To read the article and watch an interview with Daniel and Bill see: The New York Times

Ezra Wube makes his mark in Time Square

Ethiopian artist and animator has recently shown his work as part of the Time Square Public Art Project - Midnight Moments. In a similar vein to his other work, Ezra looks at journeys from places and through spaces.

Botswana Animation Group BAG

Some time ago I posted a small entry about an animator from Botswana who was blogging. I recently stumbled across another welcome addition to the content on the web. The Botswanaanimationgroup - setup by four animators, Ray Thabang Setlhare, Sudi Mwale, Theetso Xavier Matongo, Onkemetse Lesemela - making their mark. Its just a shame that the last entry was posted in 2012. Here's hoping they keep up the good effort.

Another addition from The Black Heart Gang

The Black Heart Gang moves to stop-motion with this charming addition to their portfolio....
The Dinner Party



You can view more of their work on their site at
 theblackheartgang.com

Moustapha Alassane - Father of Sub-Saharan Animation ... a documentary on his life and work

Maria Silvia Bazzoli is responsible for the seminal text 'African Cartoon' (2003) published in Italian by Castoro Publishers that presents a collection of articles by various historians and filmmakers describing animation on the African continent.

In 2009, she followed her publication with a documentary film made with Christian Lelong, on the works and life of this key filmmaker from Niger. The film is a rare example that documents the earliest examples of post-colonial animation made in the early 1960's by a key figure in the field.

The film can be purchased at Amazon - see:
Moustapha Alassane, cinéaste du possible by cinedocfilms

The Colonial Friend / L'ami y'a bon (2004)

Another great addition to the collection of African animation, this coproduction (between Algeria and France) directed by Rachid Bouchareb tells the story of a 'Senegalese family man Aby enlists in the army, distinguishes himself in battle, and is captured. But when he returns to his country, the French army refuses to pay him for his services. This beautifully animated film records the 1944 incident in which Senegalese veterans were gunned down after demanding payment for their military service.'

kenyan animation blog...

For current information on the animation scene in Kenya and a great contribution to the blogosphere

kenyanimators makes for a welcome addition to online information about anything animation in Kenya...

KENYAN ANIMATORS PAVILION 

Check out the great post dated 29 July 2013, on this years National Film Conference and Exhibition in Nairobi 

Jean Michel Kibushi talks about his journey...

Just a Band : Remembering our musical heroes: Bill Sellanga at TEDxNairobi

Ghana - the animated short inspired by Ghana

The talents of the 19 year old Ghanian Illustrator and Animator Gyimah Gariba currently studying at Sheridan on show in this little short inspired by Ghana....
You can read all about his endeavours on his blog at http://ggariba.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Ghana from Gyimah on Vimeo.

Ghana from Gyimah on Vimeo.

Teenage Mutant Politicians - South Africa's political parody

A political parody of X-men this 2D animation uses humour to critique South Africa's politics...

Pokou Princess Ashanti.... Ivory Coast's 3D CGI Animation

A small group of Ivorian self-taught animators, are causing quite a stir with their newly released 'Pokou Princess Ashanti'. The group go by the name of AFRIKATOON and are busy already working on a host of other animated projects. You can read all about their journey in making this film on jeuneafrique.com 


Here is a sneak preview of their film...

The XYZ just keeps on going!

Ever growing popularity of The XYZ Show is discussed on VOA TV

Another Africa recommends....

on African arts and culture exhibitions in 2012 see: Another Africa

Thinking Again: Versal Magazine and the Concept of the Translocal

Thinking Again: Versal Magazine and the Concept of the Translocal

Madagascar new generation animation...

A recent search of the more recent film festivals on the continent, of note the Luxor International Film Festival, The Comoros Film Festival and the Madagascar Film Festival list a host of new young emerging animators from Madagascar... headlining 
Sitraka Randriamahaly, Andry Rarivonandrasana and Ridha Andriantomanga

resources for discussions on African animation.... IMAGINAFRIK

IMAGINAFRIK is a great online resource/ community of individuals interested, talking about and making African animation. Whilst it is mostly in French, google translate does a good job of translating to the relevant language of your choice. The discussions in the forum are varied from South Africa to Burkina Faso, in places with inserted videos to watch. Its a treasure trove of topical discussions and worth exploring...



a little discovery made somewhere in the trails of discussions...

Yellow Fever screens at CinemAfrica 2013

Ng'endo Muki 's animated documentary Yellow Fever was screened in March at the Museum of Modern Art, Sweden as part of a focus in the CinemAfrica Festival. The website provides the context for this focus,

In 2012, raging debate on the representation of black, whiteness and racism in Sweden.Racist stereotypes in popular culture was repeatedly ransacked and debating. Where do we go, how we want the representation of blacks should look like and how do we get there in a country where many seem to ignore the structural and symbolic racism that surrounds us all? Akosua Adoma Owusu and Ng'endo Mukii, two highly topical filmmaker with roots in the African continent, recur in his films and his art to the right identity, hair, skin, race and colonialism. 

This film is gaining success in different art and animation circuits and resonates with both local and foreign audiences alike. You can view more of Ng'endo's films at her site thenge

Animation in Africa: New Publication by Ghazala

Congratulations to Mohammed Ghazala for the recent publication of his book Animation in Africa. Another contribution to the much needed literature in this field. We are waiting to hear when and where the book will be available for purchase. Currently only available in Egypt!

Kenya's Just a Band make it to TED

Just a Band will be making their way to the TED talks in Edinburgh talking alongside Neurologists, Politicians and Economists... the theme for this year's TED Global talks Think Again. They will be presenting in Session 9: Forces of Change on Thursday, June 13, 2013, 2:15pm-4:00pm (Edinburgh, BST/GMT+1). 

We are in the midst of a global remix. Disciplines merge and cross-pollinate. Technology intrudes into biology and society. Power and authority are redistributed. Boundaries shift -- or disappear. Hopes and anxieties collide. A new world is emerging at the intersection of once-separated realities, and everything we think we know might just be wrong. TEDGlobal 2013 will bring together those who challenge us to pause for an instant and Think Again.

You can read more about the event on TED

And this is my most recent favourite track of theirs.... its Kenyan all over!

smooth and natural transitions... a documentary on Ezra Wube

Still on the theme of Ezra Wube's animated films, I recently stumbled across this documentary about his work on youtube. It provides some insight into the artist's own personal interests, what motivates his work, and what themes reoccur.

Wube's 'new home'... and recurring motifs

Ethiopian Ezra Wube recently released his animated film  - 'new home : addis bet' - another beautiful contribution to his body of work that evokes the similar motifs that appear in his earlier animated films, the amharic text, the sense of travelling, the nomadic silhouetted figures and the goat! His work is all featured on his youtube channel Ezrademas.

Bino and Fino at the MoAD

The Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco will be screening Bino and Fino for all to watch... how refreshing to see animation exhibited alongside other art forms still or moving.

Animation Apprentices: Kenya's Recon-Digital Investment in future talent

Previously featured here, Kenya's animator Gatumia Gatumia made his entry into 3D computer animation with his political short “The Greedy Lords of the Jungle” and humorous take on familial life “Domestic Disturbance”. More recently his company Recon-Digital has made an impact by introducing an animation apprenticeship for 7 young animation enthusiasts. The company aimed 'to identify, train and retain' young talent with a view to encourage the growth of a sector in Kenya and to enable the generation of local content for a local audience. Well done to Gatumia and his team for this great initiative! You read an interview with the company here: Techmoran To view all 7 animations go to Youtube CHannel RECON