Arts and Entertainment
SA animation triumphs at Annies
Triggerfish has bagged a number of honours this award season, marking a significant boost for African animation.
Internationally renowned South Africa/Ireland-based animation studio Triggerfish clinched the prestigious Annie Award for “Best Limited Series” (TV/Media) at the Annies ceremony in Los Angeles last weekend.
The win, for its ground-breaking Disney+ Original Series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, adds to 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.
Executive producers Peter Ramsey, Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston helmed a group of 14 directors from across the African continent, including Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. 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), breathing life into the characters and enhancing the storytelling experience.
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. It was also selected as a finalist for Prix Jeunesse International in the 7-10 Years Fiction category.
Triggerfish also won a Generation Fire 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 It was created for the Star Wars: Visions Vol. 2 anthology series by South African directors Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke. Additionally, Aau’s Song has been nominated for a Prix Jeunesse International award. The series as a whole has also taken home the Lumiere Award for the “Best Episodic – Animated.”
In addition to this long list of recent accolades, Triggerfish’s original Supa Team 4 on Netflix, inspired by Zambian creator Malenga Mulendema, is up for “Best International Series” at the British Animation Awards in March.
“The affirming acknowledgement from these global awards marks a significant milestone not only for all at Triggerfish, but the African animation industry too, highlighting the growing recognition and appreciation for fresh storytelling and authentic representation of African narratives in animation,” says Triggerfish executive producer Anthony Silverston.
