The Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) program has chosen “BoyBoi,” a 2D animated series from Kenya, as one of eight selections.
Created by J.Njogu Macharia and Shadrack Munene, the series consists of eight episodes and follows the domestic exploits of Boi, a lively and creative six-year-old boy, his family, friends, and some unexpected visitors.
The show is set in contemporary Nairobi, Kenya, and each episode takes a typical family experience and transforms it into an exciting and thrilling adventure through Boi’s imagination.
Speaking about the importance of animation, the DFMI Director, Magdalene Reddy said,
“Animation has been noted by Forbes Magazine as one of the fastest growing sectors in the creative industry across Africa over the past few years. Against this backdrop, the annual Durban FilmMart (DFM) will for the second year include animation projects in development in its Pitch and Finance Forum,” he said.
“Positioned as the premier film market in Africa, the DFM is perfectly placed to provide a platform for animation content creators to meet potential collaborators and financiers, thereby contributing to the continuing growth of animation on the continent.”
The Kenyan animation has been selected among seven other African animations including:-
“Azania Rises”: Season 1 (South Africa) by producers: Dr Farayi Chinyanga and Fatuma Abdullah and director: Farisai Kavayi
“Between heaven and earth” (Entre ciel et terre) (Tunisia), producer, Sarra Ben Hassen and director, Nadia Rais
“My BIG name” (South Africa), producers: Busisiwe Ntintili, Mpumi Sinxoto & Amanda Zungu and director: Lebogang Sekwelenkwe
“NALEDI” (South Africa), producer: Lesego Vorster, co-producers: Valentin Maupin and Aristote Douroudakis and director: Lola Aikins
“Spiky to the Core” (زين) (Egypt), producer and director: Nermeen Salem ● SOLA (South Africa), producers AJ Pitre, Thandiwe Mlauli and director: Thandiwe Mlauli
“The Passport of Mallam Ilia”(Nigeria), producer: Ferdinand Adimefe and director: Chekwube Okonkwo
“Stories about African children tend to focus on suffering and victimisation, but we want to represent the joys of our childhood living in Kenya,” says the team responsible for BoyBoi.
BoyBoi was first pitched to the Kenya Film Commission in 2021 and won a production grant of $30,000 (KShs. 3.7M). The show began pre-production on 31 August 2021.
Since then, 6 animatics have been completed, and two episodes, ‘Shoelace’ and ‘Miwani’, are now in the animation stage. The remaining episodes are scheduled for completion in 2023.
