Omoyefe Majoroh, Sagir Carpenter, Esen Unukogbon, Michael Eneje and Jonathan Oyiriaru, have been selected as the top five finalists with the best creative animation projects in Nigeria to pitch their works at the 2024 edition of the renowned Annecy International Film Festival taking place in France.

The festival is the world’s top reference for animation films and holds yearly in the city of Annecy in the French Alps and welcomes over 14,000 industry professionals from all around the world.

Ahead of the upcoming Film Festival, in partnership with Animation Nigeria, the French Embassy and the Institut Français in Nigeria, organised a pitching workshop in a competitive format for five selected Nigerian animation studios. They won an all-expense flight and accommodation trip to participate in the festival. Each of them will have the opportunity to pitch their project at the international event as part of a focus on Nigeria, in front of an audience of international professionals.

Speaking, Head of MIFA, Véronique Encrenaz and new Head of MIFA Talent Projects, Sylvain Grain, they said, “For several years now, MIFA has been closely following what is happening in animation in Africa and have noticed the energy that was particularly evident in Nigeria. The International Mifa Campus workshops we have been organising with local and French players confirmed the presence of talented and promising creators on the territory, but also the need to accompany them in a demanding and competitive sector so that their projects get prepared enough to face the market. We, therefore, bring them to question themselves so that they can find their own aesthetic and narrative path and come out of this experience stronger.”

For the consecutive third year, the Embassy of France in Nigeria will be supporting Nigerian Animation Studios by providing them with an umbrella at the market. Coordinating with Animation Nigeria, this stand will be hosting over fifteen animation studios who will pitch their projects to French and international industry stakeholders.

Regional Audiovisual Attaché at the French Embassy in Nigeria, Christophe Pecot, affirmed that “it is the third time our support to the Annecy Film Festival and the Nigerian Animation Industry was made possible thanks to specific funds. This year, the program, called “Creation Africa” enables us to support entrepreneurship in the sector of cultural and creative industries. This fund has been entrusted to us for 18 months by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and aims at stimulating capacities building, amongst other areas.”

Mbuotidem Johnson of Animation Nigeria said, “Animation Nigeria as an association of skilled professionals is grateful for the partnership with the French government in enabling the growth of the local animation industry and the opportunities the partnership has created for its members. In the past, this partnership has granted us a platform to showcase our work globally and has been greatly instrumental in placing Nigerian animation on the world map. It has also trained talent in critical skills while stimulating greater connectedness among the players in the industry. Through its various initiatives, it has helped drive a more positive narrative about the Nigerian animation space and the world is noticing. This progress has all led to this point where at ANNECY, there is a focus on Nigeria and our member studios are once again being granted a chance to showcase their work on a global platform. This development holds significant potential to further drive attention to this nascent industry. As the African proverb says; It takes a village to raise a child, we realise that you have been a major part of our village, and for this, we are truly grateful,” he said.