In Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, 20-year-old Tabitha Mwale is glued to her flickering screen, painstakingly bringing to life the characters in her long-held idea for a supernatural animation series. She and her partner are trying to bring The Super, Zambia’s first anime series, to local audiences. It is a long, hard road but with talent, passion and determination, they are making progress in this emerging industry in Zambia. Misheck Chiza Banda works as a documentary director and editor in Zambia. His directorial debut was with the short film On The Road, which challenges gender stereotypes. This is his first film for Africa Direct. Connect with Africa Direct: – YouTube: https://aje.me/AJAfricaDirect-YT – […]
Kholofelo Sethebe was first drawn to the sea as a child, on a visit to Cape Town from her landlocked home province in South Africa. But traditional fears of the ocean were deep, so it is only now, as a qualified marine biologist, that she is teaching herself to swim. She Saw the Sea, an uplifting film by Karin Slater, follows the vivacious Kholofelo as she braves the ocean to find a beautiful new underwater world. Karin Slater is a South African director and cinematographer, with more than 30 years of experience. Her films have been shown by international broadcasters and at major festivals. She has won many awards, including […]
El Hadji Salifou Ouédraogo has nurtured thousands of baobab trees from tiny seeds to expansive forests for the past 47 years. The trees in turn help his family, his village and the Earth. Filmmaker Michel K Zongo’s uplifting film, The Man Who Plants Baobabs, meets this charismatic old man with a youthful spirit and a lifelong commitment to his trees, which are both a lifeline and a legacy for his community. Michel K Zongo is a cinematographer and director based in Burkina Faso. He has made three feature-length documentaries that have screened internationally and won several awards. He is also the artistic director of the Koudougou Doc Festival and has […]
Puppeteer and artist Houcine Bensemicha is preparing a new show with his puppet, Kerkouz. In the remote Algerian town of Sidi Bel Abbès, he and his father have created a much-needed space for artists and audiences. As they banter about costumes and string mechanics, the story of their little theatre museum unfolds. The Cave, by filmmaker El Kheyer Zidani, tells a story of creativity, community, puppets and a son’s love for his father. El Kheyer Zidani is an Algerian director and producer who has made several short films, including Ma Vie, Amezgun Amaziy, Protest Camp and Nice Very Nice, which were selected in more than 30 film festivals and won […]
