The French association Les Femmes s’Animent’s Franco-African Initiative assists French-speaking women from Africa, Europe, and overseas territories with mentoring and resources to fine-tune project pitches for presentation at the 2024 Annecy Festival’s MIFA.
The French association Les Femmes s’Animent (LFA) has announced selections for its 2024 Parcours de Femmes mentoring program. The program, created in 2021, assists French-speaking women artists from Africa, Europe, or overseas territories who wish to direct an animated short film but otherwise lack the necessary networks or opportunities.
This year’s call for projects launched in December 2023 around the theme "What I See." The 2024 edition received 72 submissions from France, Belgium, and 15 French-speaking African countries.
The selection jury included Houda El Amri (head of Canal+ International programs); Isabelle Lugier (HR director at Illumination); Eleanor Coleman (producer, distributor, LFA vice-president); Delphine Nicolini (artistic producer, LFA vice-president); Odile Perrin (production manager, LFA team); and Ophélie Bocca (mentoring coordinator).
Four projects and eight creative associates (director-graphic artist/writer pairs) from France, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon were selected to participate.
The selections:
Blamo, by Anick Kouamé, scriptwriter, and Christelle Angoua, illustrator - Ivory Coast.
- In the village of Kaha, Moho, an 8-year-old girl, lived with her mother and sister, Duafé. Kaha tradition requires women to undergo a rite called Modja, in which young girls are subjected to severe tests in front of the whole village to determine their resistance to pain before being considered real women. But the new generation has no intention of giving in.
La Vie rêvée d'Océane (The dream life of Océane), by Sandra Amara, scriptwriter and Pauline Langeuin, Illustrator – France.
- At the heart of a puffin colony, Océane is a little blind shearwater, highly protected by her mother, who makes her believe that the world is a beautiful place. But her dream life threatens to collapse the day she regains her sight, discovering that her environment is nothing but pollution and waste.
Jelani, by Sarah Bofodia, scriptwriter, and Sonia Sissako, illustrator – Cameroon.
- Since childhood, Jelani has been stigmatized for her difficult-to-braid hair. Initially shaved by her parents, she tried to grow it out as she got older. But after extreme treatments, she ends up losing it all. A long road begins…
Maman, je ne crois plus aux loups (Mom, I don’t believe in wolves anymore) by Margot Strintz, scriptwriter, and Shamia Rosero, illustrator- France.
- A mother-child relationship. We start with the tale of “Little Red Riding Hood,” told by the mother, and follow Gabriel's evolution as he leads his mother to realize the violence present in the home. Both grow up and open their eyes to the reality of their daily lives through each other.
Since the end of January, participants have received support from LAF and a team of mentors and experts in structuring their projects to prepare to be pitch-ready for presentation to animation professionals attending the Annecy 2024 Animation Film Market (MIFA).
Since its launch, Parcours de Femmes has supported 12 projects, representing 24 women from 12 different countries, right up to their presentation at the Annecy festival. Five projects are currently in production, and four are in residence.
Source: Les Femmes s’Animent
Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.
