The 4th edition of CANIMAF marked a remarkable comeback after a four-year hiatus. Over three days, the festival took place at the Libre Académie des Beaux-Arts (LABA), bringing together animation enthusiasts and professionals, with distinguished guests such as Ferdinand ADIMEFE, CEO of Magiccarpet Studio (Nigeria), and Abel Kouamé, CEO of Afrikatoon (Côte d'Ivoire). Upon arrival, the guests received a warm welcome and engaged in productive exchanges, including discussions with the director of the Institut Français of Douala to explore potential collaboration opportunities in animation.
The festivities began on October 17 in various schools, where students participated in workshops and enriching exchanges with the invited experts. Meanwhile, LABA hosted captivating 2D and 3D animation masterclasses, immersing festivalgoers in the art of movement and visual creation. A comic book exhibition also charmed visitors, featuring works from Zebra Comics, LABA, and creations from Tiomatsa Ylarie’s creative residency.
The opening ceremony, marked by the screening of Le Mystère de Waza by Claye EDOU, officially launched the festival and included special recognition for partners and sponsors.
In the following days, activities varied from school screenings, such as Soundiata Keïta, the Lion’s Awakening, to Cosplay workshops and enriching discussions with Boris Djiofack on sound creation. Festival attendees could also attend conferences on screenwriting and comic creation, exploring essential techniques for bringing animation projects to life. An exclusive screening of Cyrille MASSO’s documentary L'Afrique à Annecy 2022 kicked off Saturday’s events, followed by a masterclass on animated production in Cameroon, where MASSO shared his journey and insights on industry development.
The festival’s closing highlighted this edition’s achievements, with inspiring speeches from organizers, partners, and Ylarie, the winner of the creative residency. She was awarded a development grant for her animation project by the Cinéma Uni association of Jules EYANGO, followed by the screening of The Sacred Cave by Cyrille MASSO, beautifully concluding the memorable CANIMAF 2024.
