Disney invests in African science fiction cartoons

(AFP) – With a focus on Africa, Disney has partnered with dozens of creators across the continent to produce an animated short series, “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire,” which will be broadcast worldwide on Disney’s live streaming platform. . + At the end of 2022. The company announced Thursday at the 60th Annecy Festival.

Vice President Orion Ross said the 10 10-minute films that make up this anthology series “answer the same question in a very different way: What would the future of Africa look like from an African perspective”. Disney EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) animation during a pre-recorded conference.

He added that designers from Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt “will bring you their unique visions.”

Drawing on the global fascination of Afro-Futurism, fueled by Marvel’s Black Panther, and drawing on the continent’s rich history and diverse cultures, each film features a blend of “fantasy, futuristic technology, aliens, gods and monsters., action and adrenaline for audiences of all ages…”, He said.

South African studio Triggerfish will serve as lead producer and Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) will serve as ‘Executive Producer’.

The announcement comes in time for the Annecy Festival, a major animated film event (until Saturday), which this year celebrates Africa, and for which “Disney recognizes the huge potential,” according to Orion Ross.

Studio Mickey announced in December that it had partnered with African entertainment company Kogali to create a new sci-fi series that will air on Disney+ in 2022. Called “Iwago” (“future” in Yoruba, a West African language), “it is set in a version of Futuristic from Lagos, Nigeria”

In 2023, Disney Junior and Disney+ will also air a children’s series, “Kiya & the Kimoji Heroes”, produced by Canadian company eOne with characters created by South Africans Kelly Dillon and Mark Day.

Features Kia, a seven-year-old superhero who loves dancing and martial arts.

Disney hasn’t forgotten its Old Continent partners, as evidenced by the July 28 arrival at Disney+ of “Adventures in the Tic et Tac Park,” the first original European animated series created for the platform, produced by the French. Xilam Study.

One of its episodes, “Ghost”, was selected for Annecy’s official competition in the TV Film category.