KIAFF to showcase African animators
East Africa’s Kwetu International Animation Film Festival (KIAFF) is set to hold its first edition online.
The two-day festival on April 2 and 3 is themed Between Art & Reality and will showcase over 50 animated films from around the world, ranging from features to shorts, TV commercials and films made by African animators in Africa.
Various awards will be presented in diverse categories in an online event on Monday April 5 live on Zoom. The awards jury comprises Martin Mhando (Tanzania), Fred Lyons (Australia) and Fibby Kioria (Kenya).
The film screenings will feature African animators, including Esther Kemi Gbadamosi (Drunken Dreams) from Nigeria, Brian Msafiri (From Here to Timbuktu) from Kenya, Nuha Suliman (Hadeda) from South Africa and Kwame Nyong’o (The Legend of Lwanda Magere) from Kenya.
There will also be a workshop from April 1 to 3, titled Writing for Animation taught by Anaeli Kihunrwa from MediaOne.
Speaking about the role that KIAFF will play in the African film environment, festival founder and director Daniel Nyalusi said: “Technology has changed and now it allows for animation filmmakers to make more films.
“Also there is a need for more initiatives in East Africa that helps/pushes animators to produce more films. Animated films have been loved and still loved by children and family, hence its audience is permanent so filmmakers must be more creative and feed the market.
“The Kwetu International Animation Film Festival will be the platform and the only place that will bring together animation filmmakers and stakeholders including the corporate companies that use animation for advertisement.
“KIAFF will be organised every year in April and will also organise training workshops throughout the year. The aim of KIAFF is to become the centre and the hub of the animation film industry in East Africa.”
KIAFF is supported by Goethe Institut Dar es Salaam, CDEA and NuellaTV. All films will be free to watch via NuellaTV for those in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan) and for those outside of Eastern Africa, a one-off ticket price of US$10 will give access to all the films over the two days.
Animation fans worldwide can click here to watch the films. The festival celebrates and explores contemporary African and international animation film culture with a unique programme of screenings and special events, which aim to increase audience knowledge and participation.
tagged in: Daniel Nyalusi, KIAFF, Kwetu International Animation Film Festival