Highlights of the Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) have been revealed, highlighting the achievements of the South African toon industry and artists. Taking place April 27-30 in the Cape Town International Convention Centre, collocated with Comic Con Cape Town, the Festival will celebrate the growth of animation in the country and the creativity of local animators bringing its unique culture and perspectives to the international stage.
One such industry trailblazer set to speak at CTIAF is character animator and animation director Annike Pienaar, whose work opened an avenue to relocate to France, where she currently works at visual effects company Illumination Mac Guff. Having animated on films such as Stickman (2015), The Highway Rat (2017) and the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes (2016), Pienaar’s most recent accomplishments include contributions to Illumination’s star-studded film Sing 2 (2022).
Notable animators making waves include Marc Moynihan (creator of CTIAF 2019’s signal film/artwork) and Dylan McGarry, whose project presentation at the festival Indlela Yokuphila (isiZulu for “the soul’s journey”) aims to educate the world about the cultural and spiritual significance of the ocean from a South African context. Within these ranks is speaker Daniel Snaddon, a BAFTA-winning director best known for his work on Stickman, The Snail and the Whale (2019) and Zog (2018). The work of these three creatives has helped showcase the diversity of South African storytelling and brought new perspectives to the world of animation.
As the industry continues to grow, it is creating even more opportunities for local animators to showcase South Africa’s unique storytelling and creative talent to the world, and it will continue to be championed by the Cape Town International Animation Festival, which is the largest dedicated African animation festival on the continent. With an exciting hybrid program of talks, workshop, screenings, producer meetings, business-to-business sessions and more, CTIAF provides an opportunity to engage with global industry leaders, shine a spotlight on African talent and create a platform for connections and sharing of knowledge between local animators and their international counterparts.
CTIAF organizers point out that the impact of South African animators is not only creative; their work has also had a significant economic impact, creating jobs and driving innovation in the industry. According to a report by the National Film and Video Foundation, the animation industry in South Africa is growing at a rate of 5% per year and employs over 3,000 people.
“We’ve witnessed the incredible growth of animation in South Africa, and year after year we’re continuously impressed by the immense success local artists have achieved, and we continue to advocate for, and promote these incredible achievements,” says Festival Director Dianne Makings. “We’re elated to continue this celebratory streak at this year’s Cape Town International Animation Festival as we recognize, engage with and learn from the talent that has put us on the map, but most importantly we’re look to empower the next generation of animators while holding a spotlight to the work that continues to come from the continent.”
South African animators like Celeste Jamneck are being celebrated globally. Now lecturing at the Savannah Collage of Art and Design (U.S.), she attributes her career growth to the work she’s done as part of the team behind acclaimed animated short The Soloists, garnered over 113 festivals mentioned, won over 20 awards, was nominated for a Student BAFTA and celebrated the win of an Annie Award in Los Angeles.
The success of South African animators has also inspired others in the country to pursue careers in the industry. The availability of high-quality training and job opportunities has created a pipeline of talent that is driving the industry forward.
An example of inspirational industry player includes Triggerfish Animation Studios, which has gained worldwide recognition for its feature films and television series. Triggerfish films such as Adventures in Zambezia and Khumba have been distributed internationally and received critical acclaim. As contributors to Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated, Emmy-winning productions, the studio once again uplifts African animation in Disney+ anthology series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (2023), highlights the talent of animators from South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt.
This year’s CTIAF will feature a program dedicated to this impactful work and speakers including Samantha Cutler, who joins the line-up of esteemed artists at the festival this year, and will be presenting alongside Snaddon on the making of The Smeds and the Smoos.
Additional speakers include:
- Ariane Suveg – VP kids channels, France, Africa & Israel, Warner Bros. Discovery
- Bill Masuku – comic-book artist/writer, Razor-Man, Welcome to Dead World
- Christoph Erbes – children’s media consultant
- Danson Njoka – CEO, Kugali Media, Iwájú
- Steven “Joff” Carter – head of animation, Rooftop
- Ulysse Malassagne – co-founder/producer/animation supervisor, Studio La Cachette, Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal; Love, Death + Robots
- …and more!
CTIAF 2023 takes place April 27-30 in Cape Town, South Africa. Visit ctiaf.com for more information.
