On behalf of African Animators let me pass friendly greetings and thanks to all of you in occasion of the successful ASIFA Prize ceremony which was held on the 9th of October during the awards night of ANIMAFRIK festival in Accra-Ghana in the presence of a huge African audience and foreign guests.
It was a unique moment in the history of African Animation and in the history of ASIFA that for first time the appreciated Prize goes to an African animator, Moustapha Alassane, and for the first time it is introduced in an African festival, Animafrik.
In this connection let me thank all ASIFA board members for their great support for this nomination and for urge to upgrade the art of animation in Africa .
We would like to thank very much the great artist, Michel Ocelot, for his kind acceptation to create our 2009 trophy, as a well-known name in Africa due to his numerous African animated films, the audiences and the animators in Animafrik were very surprised to see his genuine work among them.
I thank to our president, Sayoko Kinoshita, for her appreciated letter which she wrote to our 31st laureate, and make him very honored to get this homage from our international organization.
And other thanks go to our secretary general, Vesna Dovnikovic, for contacting Michel and sending the trophy.
We can’t miss the opportunity to thank Mr. Samuel Quartey, the director of Animafrik festival, who organized the successful events of his festival and was very eager to host our Prize in his young festival. He truly deserves our support and a thanks letter from our president.
It was pity that due to bad health condition 78 years old Moustapha Alassane couldn’t be present on the festival Animafrik, but he sent his secretary Ms Rokaiatu Abobaka to be his representative on the festival and to introduce his homage night and his films. Moustapha also greeted ASIFA, the festival and the audiences by telephone, says:
“I took many awards before from many prestigious festivals and academies around the world, but this one is highly appreciated and it is much closer to my heart because this honor comes from the most important organization of animation in the world … I’m thanking ASIFA for its support, and I welcome any cooperation with it in the future”.
Moustapha’s country ambassador who gave a speech about the honor of the great man of his home, Niger, was present on the festival too.
It was a really great moment for the animators in Africa, who finally felt some confidence, that they could be recognized on the international level by an appreciated organization like ASIFA, and that Africa is not ignored or treated a as continent of misery anymore, but also a land of the oldest art tradition.
It’s really a great step of ASIFA towards Africa , and a good sign for the future of our community in its coming golden jubilee next year 2010. The African animators really appreciated this step, and look forward to more supportive steps to the art and industry of animation in Africa .
Thank you ASIFA!
Yours Sincerely,
Mohamed Ghazala
ASIFA Egypt
