74th Berlin International Film Festival Ends
The 74th edition of Berlin International Film Festival came to a close yesterday after 10 days of screening of films, closing of deals at the European Film Market and high-level networking. The award ceremony where the prizes of Berlinale Shorts, the GWFF Best First Feature Award, the Berlinale Documentary Award, the prizes of the Encounters section as well as the Golden and Silver Bears in the competition were awarded brought the festival to an end. As of yesterday, over 450,000 tickets had been sold and screening attendance by trade visitors and the press was very high. The festival opened on February 15 with a gala night that saw a special highlight with the award ceremony of the Honorary Golden Bear to US director Martin Scorsese. In front of a standing ovation in the sold-out Berlinale Palast, the director accepted the award, the laudation was held by Wim Wenders. Today, Sunday February 25, there would be an encore for audiences: numerous festival films from various sections will be repeated at the Berlinale venues.
Kugali’s, New Disney Animation Series, Iwaju, To Air Across Africa
THE all-new original animated series by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African Entertainment Company, Kugali’s Iwájú will head to Disney Channel across Africa after its debut on Disney+ on February 28, 2024. Iwaju is billed to air across Africa on Disney Channel -distributed on DStv platform, this April and May. According to Director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, “we created Iwájú as a love letter to Lagos, Nigeria, and an ode to the rich legacy of African storytelling. We are proud to share this series and hope that it inspires more Africans across the world to share their stories and shape our collective narratives.” For Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa: “Iwájú is a true celebration of the creativity and storytelling excellence that is at the heart of Disney, bringing the immense talent and creative vision of home-grown filmmakers to the world.
With the distribution of the series on Disney Channel, the release of the ‘Disney Iwájú: Rising Chef mobile game and the Iwaju Original Soundtrack Score, we are excited to give audiences across Africa the chance to experience this ambitious and uniquely innovative series.” Reputed as a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Pan-African entertainment company, Kugali, “Iwájú is an original animated series set in a futuristic Lagos and tells the exciting coming-of-age story of Tola, a young girl from the wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole, a self-taught tech expert, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds. “Iwájú” streams exclusively on Disney+ February, 28, 2024, in a six-episode event. Also debuting February 28 on Disney+ is Iwájú: A Day Ahead, a documentary special filmed across three continents that shares the story of the founders of the Pan-African entertainment company, Kugali, who made their dream a reality creating an original animation series with Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Multiple Honours For Triggerfish As African Animation Shines At Award Show
INTERNATIONALLY renowned South Africa/Ireland-based animation studio, Triggerfish has bagged a number of honours this award season, marking a significant triumph for African animation in the highly competitive motion picture industry. Their ground-breaking Disney+ Original Series, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire has just clinched the prestigious Annie Award for ‘Best Limited Series’ (TV/Media) at the ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 17.
The series also recently won the Kidscreen Award for “Best Animated Series (Tweens/Teens)” in San Diego, earlier this month. The action-packed animated sci-fi series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire presents futuristic visions from Africa inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures, and has been enchanting audiences worldwide with its compelling narrative, vibrant imagery, and original characters since its release in July last year. Guided by Disney, executive producers Peter Ramsey, Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston and helmed by a group of 14 directors from across the African continent including Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, the series was brought to life with authenticity and passion.
The star-studded voice cast, included Florence Kasumba (Black Panther, Wonder Women), Pearl Thusi (Queen Sono), Nasty C (multi-award winning South African rapper) and Kehinde Bankole (The New Normal, Sista) delivering captivating performances. The winning series episode Enkai, directed by Kenyan Ng’endo Mukii and produced by Blink Industries, is a striking cosmic, end-of-the-world, high-stakes fantasy. Triggerfish also won an Annie Award for “Best Music – TV/Media” at the ceremony for its short film Aau’s Song, a fantasy Star Wars-inspired journey of a child finding her destiny, created for the Star Wars: Visions Vol. 2 anthology series by South African directors Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke.
