LIYANA is a genre-defying documentary that tells the story of five children in the Kingdom of Eswatini who turn past trauma into an original fable about a girl named Liyana who embarks on a perilous quest to save her young twin brothers. The film weaves her animated journey together with poetic documentary scenes to create an inspiring tale of perseverance and hope.
From the creators of Liyana in regards to the impact programs: "We will use the fictional story of a young African heroine to inspire the next generation of leaders to embrace their own strength and identities. We aim to cultivate the culture of hope and pride in the Swazi nation and across the Southern African region. We will encourage young people of all colors and backgrounds to make their voices and stories heard, and to unite their communities as they look for world-changing solutions within themselves. We'll promote the use of arts to support healing from loss and trauma, and use the power of storytelling to build empathy, hope, and to ignite imaginations."
Executive produced by Emmy-winner Thandie Newton, and produced by Oscar-winner Daniel Junge, LIYANA features innovative animated artwork by Shofela Coker and an original score by Philip Miller. Critically acclaimed as exquisite, a staggering feature debut, and one of the year's very best, LIYANA has played at festivals around the world, including the British Film Institute's London Film Festival and MoMA's Doc Fortnight, and has won 35 jury and audience awards so far. The Sunday Times describes Aaron & Amanda Kopp's directorial debut as, part documentary, part animation, and pure magic.
