DISCOP Joburg Unveils Animation Contest Finalists

Ten finalists have been revealed for this year’s Annecy – MIFA Pitches Animation du Monde, with the continental final taking place during DISCOP Johannesburg 2018.

For the past two years, the African Animation Network (AAN) has collaborated with Annecy International Animated Film Festival & Market and DISCOP Markets to host the Annecy – MIFA Pitches Animation du Monde in Africa. This year, DISCOP and AAN launched DISCOMICS with ICON Comic & Games Convention, NAICCON and Lagos Comic Con. As a result, Annecy – MIFA Pitches Animation du Monde was run across Abidjan, Johannesburg, Zanzibar, Nairobi and Lagos.

The ten finalists, two from each territory, will compete in the continental final at DISCOP Johannesburg. Two winners, chosen by international expert judges, will then go on to represent Africa and compete against their global counterparts at Annecy International Animated Film Festival & Market 2019.

The finalists are Leshika Manue (Congo Braza) with Koka Kitoumbou; Ouassila Kharoune (Côte d’Ivoire) with Étincelle/The Spark; Nildo Essa (Mozambique) with As Aventuras dos Pestinhas; Mike Scott (South Africa) with Da Bes Band; Khanye Mfeka (South Africa) with My Friendly Tokoloshe; Mike Scott (South Africa) with Hiraeth; Shadrack Munene (Kenya) with Nini; Salim Busuru (Kenya) with The Next Rainbow; Ridwan Moshood (Nigeria) with Garbage Boy and Trash Can; and Dami Solesi (Nigeria) with The Makerbolts.

Nick Wilson, the head of projects and content at AAN, commented: “We’re really excited about the expanded footprint in 2018, having received 28 percent more submissions than we did in the previous year. It’s allowed us to access more talent on the ground and provide them with opportunities to further develop their projects and find potential investment. As validation for what we’ve been trying to achieve, one of the winners of the competition in 2017, Ingrid Agbo, secured a presale from Gulli Africa for her project L’arbre à Palimpseste at the finals at Annecy in 2018.”