The Alliance Française Nairobi hosted a groundbreaking screening event on Monday as part of the French Embassy in Nairobi’s ongoing efforts to develop East Africa’s animation industry through the Creation Africa programme.

The screening featured French-Cameroonian filmmaker Sébastien Onomo’s animated feature film Allah Is Not Obliged. The animation, based on Ahmadou Kourouma’s acclaimed novel by the same title, tells the story of a young boy forced into becoming a child soldier in West Africa.

The screening was organised by the Association of Animation Artists in Kenya (A3K) as part of the Creation Africa programme, which aims to provide 10 selected East African animation studios with skills and networks needed to compete globally.

The initiative represents France’s substantial investment in the region’s cultural and creative industries with a commitment of 1.2 million Euros to various youth-led projects in Kenya in 2023, 500,000 Euros in 2024, and 800,000 Euros already secured for regional projects in 2026.

“Our objective is to continue structuring the sector so that it creates qualified jobs and sustainable opportunities for young professionals,” said a French Embassy representative during the event.

The programme builds on existing foundations, including creation grants in Ethiopia and Kenya as well as the French Development Agency’s support to Pungulu Pa studios aimed at filling crucial market gaps in regional networking, international market access, and distribution training.

The evening showcased France’s animation expertise through partnerships with renowned institutions like the Annecy International Animation Festival and Gobelins Paris.

Ten talented studios from Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya participated in the East African Animation Distribution Lab with support from the Creation Africa programme with the ultimate goal being to establishment of a sustainable regional ecosystem for African animators.