The animation industry is a global powerhouse that impacts the world in countless ways, from education to entertainment to marketing.
And at this year’s Cape Town International Animation Festival, South Africa is ready to shine the spotlight on the growing impact made by African animators.
Set to coincide with Comic Con Africa, the festival will take place from 27 to 30 April at the CTICC, and promises to be a thrilling event for animation enthusiasts and creatives alike.
Before the pandemic hit, the animation production industry in South Africa was valued at over R8 billion and had been growing at an impressive rate of 5.2% year-on-year.
With an average of 60 000 full-time and freelance workers employed in the industry, animation is not only a source of income for animators but it also drives tourism.
Moreover, as an international filmmaking destination, animation contributes to social cohesion, national identity, heritage and culture by telling stories that resonate with audiences both locally and globally.
The Cape Town International Animation Festival offers a dynamic programme that aims to highlight the contribution of African creatives, storytellers, and artists, and amplify the award-winning work done on the continent.
One of the featured films in the programme is the critically acclaimed short film The Soloists. Created by a multicultural team of animators from Iran, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa and China, the film is a humorous fable set in a small village governed by ridiculous laws that denounce the harsh conditions faced by women in many countries around the world.
South African animator, Celeste Jamneck, who was part of the award-winning team, shared her inspiration for the film with News24.
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‘The world can be a terrible place at times, with places like Iran (and its people) facing serious problems with earth-shattering consequences. Our film is about hope – hope that people find love, creativity, and passion and pursue them in the face of adversity and challenge.’
‘We hope that viewers who experience the film will leave with laughter and sorrows in their hearts, appreciating the power of small lives and large hearts. We also hope that women can feel more empowered through our story and that African artists can see their future filmmaking potential through the success of our film.’
The Soloists has already gained global recognition, being nominated for and winning the Best Student Film at this year’s Annie Awards.
The Annie Awards, presented by ASIFA-Hollywood, recognises excellence in animation in cinema and television and has been a prestigious accolade in the industry since 1972.
Jamneck expressed her joy at being part of a team where three out of five members are African and winning one of the world’s top animation awards.
She credits the Netflix African Scholarship programme for Gobelins, which financially supported her and her colleagues from Ghana and Ethiopia to enroll in the prestigious Master of Arts in Character Animation and Animated Filmmaking course at Gobelins in Paris.
As beneficiaries of the scholarship, Jamneck and her team hope to inspire other young animators to rise with Africa and contribute to the global animation community.
Jamneck further revealed that the concept for The Soloists was inspired by the true experiences of her teammate from Iran, Mehrnaz Abdollahinia.
‘The original idea for the film came from her true experiences as a woman living in Iran and facing ridiculous dogma and laws. As a team, we were also so diverse in our experiences and culture, but we all resonated with the idea of women fighting for freedom – and we all agreed it was a story that needed to be told.’
Watch the short film here:
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Picture: GOBLINS / YouTube