Magic Carpet Studios has announced an international Work-in-Progress Festival Tour for its upcoming animated feature, The Passport of Mallam Ilia, which will be presented at two major animation festivals in October 2026. The tour begins at the Sharjah Animation & Comics Conference in the United Arab Emirates from 22–25 October 2026, before moving to Trinidad & Tobago for the 25th Anniversary Edition of the Animae Caribe Festival, held from 28–31 October 2026.
An African Story Goes Global
Adapted from the work of celebrated Nigerian author Cyprian Ekwensi, The Passport of Mallam Ilia is described by the studio as an ambitious animated feature rooted in Northern Nigerian history, culture, and imagination. The project represents a larger creative ambition to bring African stories to the world at the scale and quality they deserve, according to the announcement.
The Work-in-Progress Tour offers audiences and industry stakeholders a chance to experience the film before its completion, see its evolving visual world, meet the creative minds behind the project, and become part of the journey toward global release. At Sharjah, the project will be placed within a major gathering dedicated to animation and comics, while in Trinidad, it will be introduced to the Caribbean’s long-standing animation, gaming, and digital storytelling community.
Festival Highlights and Creative Exchange
The Animae Caribe Festival’s 25th Anniversary edition is framed around the future of Caribbean content creation, global storytelling, emerging intellectual property, and international creative collaboration. For The Passport of Mallam Ilia, the tour is not only a screening programme but also an invitation to audiences to witness the making of an African epic, to artists and creators to exchange ideas across continents, and to distributors, investors, and industry partners to discover a film at a pivotal moment in its journey.
“Every great journey begins with a passport. Ours is carrying an African story across the world,” the studio said in a statement, highlighting the film’s mission to connect African animation with international creative communities.
Path to Completion and Global Release
The Work-in-Progress Festival Tour is part of the film’s broader journey toward completion and its eventual meeting with audiences worldwide. The project will be presented at the Sharjah Animation & Comics Conference in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, from 22–25 October 2026, and then continue to Trinidad & Tobago from 28–31 October 2026 for the Animae Caribe Festival, 25th Anniversary Edition.
The Passport of Mallam Ilia is an animated feature inspired by the work of Nigerian literary icon Cyprian Ekwensi, combining history, culture, adventure, and visual storytelling to introduce a new generation of audiences to an important African story. Produced by Magic Carpet Studios, the project is based in Lagos, Nigeria, and media enquiries can be directed to hello@magiccarpet.studio or via www.magiccarpet.studio. The October tour marks a significant chapter in the film’s journey, opening new conversations about culture, storytelling, collaboration, and the future of African intellectual property.
