For the first time in Ghana’s animation history, five animation studios are currently gearing up to showcase their work at the Pitch Partners session of the prestigious Annecy Festival 2023 in France which is part of the official program of the festival every year.
This session is highly coveted because it offers great visibility to an audience of professionals looking for original content.
This is not only a significant milestone for these studios, but it also speaks to the potential of the animation industry in Ghana.
It is an opportunity to showcase the talent and creativity of Ghanaian animators on a global stage and attract the attention of international investors and collaborators.
The five animators to showcase their works include:
Karen-Happuch P. Henneh of KHPH Studios – Short film Abrefi Koto.
Jesse Sunkwa-Mills of Mills Media – Television series Asantewaa.
Emmanuel, an animator from the SurfGhana Collective – TV Series Fa Ma )Mo.
Sarpei Kwadey and Nii Ofei Dodoo of Indigene BROS will be presenting their feature film – SOAN (Soul of A Nation).
Najilau Dramundu and Rudolf Zeglo of 9th March Studios will also showcase their feature film – Talata!
The hard work leading up to this Accomplishment was a demanding one.
From January 23 to January 27, 2023, the Alliance Française Accra held the MIFA Campus International – Talents workshop, an international training course for professionals in the animation business.
It was organized by the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and International Film Market (MIFA) in collaboration with the French Embassy in Ghana and provided the selected studios with the opportunity to receive mentoring from three esteemed French professionals.
This mentoring provided the projects with more depth and clarity from a visual and narrative perspective and gave the project leaders the confidence and ability to compete in the international market.
Delphine Nicolini, project coordinator, consultant, and independent artistic producer, Anita Doron, scriptwriter (of Breadwinner on Netflix), and Osman Cerfon, director (of shorts Aaaah & I’m Going out of Cigarettes), were the trainers and they put their heart into their work by transmitting their passion, knowledge, and experience to the 7 Ghanaian animators who represented the 5 studios.
The selected studios had the honor of presenting their revised pitches in front of a distinguished audience, including H.E. Mr. Jules Armand Aniambossou, the French Ambassador to Ghana, representatives from Ghana’s culture and creative arts sector, the French Development Agency and the European Union delegation at the French Ambassador’s Residence on the 27th January 2023.
Film industry stakeholders are urged to support these Ghanaian animation studios and their projects.
By investing in these projects, one can contribute to the expansion and improvement of Ghana’s animation sector as well as the global promotion of Ghanaian culture and art.
Animation is a hugely significant component of the film industry and an excellent means of fostering global relationships.
