After 10 years in the making, the unique and historical animation, Tutu: The Untold Story
of a Kingdom, is on the verge of coming to life. The animated project tells the history of
the ancient Ashanti Kingdom in a fun and creative way through the adventures of two
young men, Osei Tutu and Okomfo Anokye who come together to liberate their people
from bondage.
AnimaxFYB Studios’ website describes the adventures of Osei and Okomfo as filled with
“ingenuity, love, challenges, courage, and a whole lot of magic!” Tutu focuses on the
theme, “united we stand, divided we fall,” as the two young men set out to unite the
divided Akan clans. Yaw Firempong Boakye, a writer on the project, says the story sets a
“good example understanding how unity can bring small entities to do good things.”
The family friendly animation serves to preserve African history while promoting the
cultural heritage of the Ashanti and Africa as a whole. The Ashanti kingdom is one of
Africa’s oldest and most powerful kingdoms, whose origins span back to the late 17th
century.
Creative director and founder of AnimaxFYB Studios, Francis Yushau Brown conceptualized the project 10 years ago and has since worked with his team to bring this vision to reality. In a Behind the Scenes documentary video (seen below) published by the studio, contributors to the project expressed what Tutu meant to them. “The special thing about this project to me is the originality in this project, says 3D Generalist Charles Sam, “how it talks about a culture that is based in our own country.” Indeed the project provides a unique opportunity to learn about Ghanaian culture, traditions, and history.
AnimaxFYB Studios’ goal is to be the world’s leading producer and provider of
entertainment in “authentic and celebrated African stories.” Since its creation in 2014, it
has produced award-winning shorts in Ghana and reached international acclaim. Some
of their awards include Best Animation from both the Africa International Film Festival
in 2016 and Ghana Movie Awards in 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piLCqvqV7iE&feature=youtu.be
Tutu, their latest project, has established proof of concept and is now in need of funding
to help bring this beautiful and one of a kind story to life. In a cinematic landscape
where animated stories of Africans by Africans are not all that common, Tutu is a breath
of fresh air. Antoinette Newtown Acquah, Head of Communications, expressed her
desire for Tutu to “go beyond Ghana and hit the diaspora.” It is a chance for the younger
generation in Africa and beyond to take part in enjoying animation that presents rich
culture, history, and representation.
To find out how to contribute to the project, click here.
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