A year ago, after launching a ground-breaking competition to find some of Sub-Saharan Africa’s up-and-coming filmmakers, entitled AFRICAN FOLKTALES, REIMAGINED, Netflix and UNESCO revealed the six winning filmmakers who received US$25,000 each, plus a production budget of US$75,000 to produce six short films (in Netflix’s press release today, the budget for each film is listed at US$90,000, and not the US$75,000 that was announced when the winners were first selected). A year later, Netflix has set a March 29, 2023 premiere date for the collection, releasing a trailer.
Each film, featuring reimagined African folktales presented in multiple African languages, was made through a local production company and under the guidance of Netflix-appointed supervising producers and industry mentors from across the continent.
Below are the six filmmakers, the countries they are from, and their project descriptions:
HALIMA’S CHOICE – by Korede Azeez – Nigeria: With 99% of the world population uploaded into virtual worlds, a young girl from a secluded Fulani village inadvertently elopes with an AI to escape an arranged marriage. Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy; Language: Hausa; Director: Korede Azeez; Producer: Kenneth Gyang; Cast: Habiba Ummi Mohammed; Adam Garba, Produced by Cinema Kpatakpata.
Anyango and the Ogre – by Voline Ogutu – Kenya: With the backdrop of a childhood folktale, 13-year-old Otis struggles to protect his younger siblings from a monster that lives inside their home. Genre: Fantasy, Drama; Language: KiSwahili and English; Director: Voline Ogutu; Producer: Sarah Hassan; Cast: Trevor Jones Kamau; Sarah Hassan; Produced by Alfajiri Productions.
Katera of the Punishment Island – by Loukman Ali – Uganda: Abandoned on an island, a woman grieving the loss of her baby exacts revenge on the powerful man who put her there. Genre: Thriller; Language: Runyankole and English; Director and Producer: Loukman Ali; Cast: Karababiito Tracy; Michael Wawuyo JR; Production company: Loukout Films.
KATOPE – by Walt Mzengi Corey – Tanzania: A young child with magical origins sets out on a journey to help end the drought that is devastating the community – even if it means risking their own life. Genre: Fantasy, Drama; Language: KiSwahili and ciGogo; Director: Walt Mzengi Corey; Producer: Petrus Van Staden; Rebecca Mzengi Corey Cast: Jene Mahenyela Mwalimu; Rahele Matete; Production company: Solela Art and Film.
Enmity Djinn – by Mohamed Echkouna – Mauritania: Three generations after he was last summoned, an ancient Enmity Djinn finds himself in an unfamiliar city confronted by a familiar foe. Genre: Fantasy, Drama; Language: Hassaniya Arabic and French; Director and Producer: Mohamed Echkouna; Cast: Zainabou Ahmed Mohamed; Mamadou Mokhtar N’diaye Gueye.
MaMlambo – by Gcobisa Yako – South Africa: The mystical river being, MaMlambo, watches over the sacred waters of discarded bodies. Genre: Drama; Language: isiXhosa; Director: Gcobisa Yako; Producer: Pakiso Albertus; Cast: Simphiwe Dana; Zikhona Bali.
The competition was launched by Netflix and UNESCO in October 2021, with the goal of promoting diverse local stories and bringing them to the world. The competition was also a part of the Netflix Creative Equity Fund, which aims at supporting new voices from underrepresented communities within entertainment in bringing their perspectives to a global audience.
ǃGâiǃgâb or we’ll done to all the filmmakers. What we hope is that the next round of the African folktales will see KHOIKHOI included, a First and origin language of Southern Africa, the words of aboxan or ancestor Sarah Baartman.