Movies, animation, gaming and tech. Want to know what’s happening in Africa and beyond? Here’s the Run Down for this week.
NEWS BEYOND AFRICA – Animation/Entertainment
Doing Something
With more and more cases of racial injustice and police brutality in America being reported and taped, people around the world have been forced to take a stand. A call to action has been made and people are doing something in response to the hatred, whether it’s something as simple as a post on social media or an outright protest.
However, for Producer, Arnon Manor (Peter Rabbit, The Equalizer) and actor and writer, Timothy Ware-Hill, doing something meant creating an emotional and thought provoking spoken-word animated short.
Timothy Ware-Hill and Arnon Manor’s Cops and Robbers
Cops and Robbers is a four minute, animated short co-directed by Timothy Ware-Hill and Arnon Manor and executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith.
The short makes use of various animation techniques from stop motion and sketchbook 2D to comic style and facial recognition, to tell a story that tackles issues of racial injustice and police brutality whilst mourning the innocent days of childhood.
The film, which is dedicated to black men and women who have been victims of racial hatred, aims to encourage people to look past colour and to remember their shared humanity.
Cops and Robbers premiered on 28th December 2020 and is now showing on Netflix.
Find out more: https://www.awn.com/animationworld/cops-and-robbers-contrasting-childhood-play-racial-hatred
NEWS OUT OF AFRICA – Gaming/illustration
The Rise of E sports
Esports is a rapidly growing industry that has become hugely popular in a number of continents across the globe. But although Esports is more popular abroad, and particularly in the European and American continents, it is also quickly gaining traction in Africa.
With gaming organisations such as Nodwin Gaming expanding their Esports services to the Sub-Saharan continent and various other organisations organising tournaments throughout the year, it is evident that Esports in Africa is rising. And it’s a good thing too because there has been a rise in African gaming stars.
3 Gaming Stars Hailing from Kenya
Three gamers hailing from Kenya have been making waves in both the African and global Esports industry, showing the world that Esports has a future in Africa.
The first gamer goes by the name Thabo “Yvng Savage” Moloi. Only 18 years old, Moloi is South Africa’s top FIFA Player on PS4 and is ranked 73rd in the world! He has also made history by becoming the first African gamed to be sponsored by Red Bull.
The second is Sylvia Gathoni aka Queen Arrow. Lawyer by day and professional gamer by night, Queen Arrow’s expertise is Tekken 7 and is Kenyan’s first female professional gamer.
The third and final gamer, Brian “Beast” Diang’a is Kenya’s most renown Mortal Kombat player. Raised in Kenya’s slum, Kibera, Diang’a chose gaming over crime and as he continues to partake in tournaments, he sets out to help Kenya and the African continent become global forces in gaming.
Check out more https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/03/sport/africa-esports-kenya-queen-arrow-beast-spc-intl/index.html
Changes by Kwame Addo Illustrates an African Uprising
Changes is the title of an illustrated book created by artist Kwame Addo. The book, dedicated to Ghana’s late former president, Jerry John Rawlings, tells the story of Ghana’s June 4th, 1979 revolution and the events related to it. Changes captures the uprising in ‘real’ time and follows Ghana’s long journey to democracy and freedom.
The book is now available as an A4 size, 34 pages comic format book in English, Spanish and French.
Check out more: https://citinewsroom.com/2020/12/artist-kwame-addo-dedicates-illustrated-book-to-the-memory-of-j-j-rawlings/
And that’s the Rundown for this week, stay safe!