AnimaxFYB Studios, a Ghana-based award-winning animation studio, is set to debut its first feature-length animated film, ORAYA, at the Marché du Film as an official partner of the Focus on Africa Conference. This marks a decisive step into the global film financing and distribution market.
The studio will present ORAYA as part of the official delegation of the Nigerian International Film Summit (NIFS), a platform that drives structured African participation in global film markets and facilitates high-level industry engagement at Cannes.
About the Film
ORAYA is a 90-minute, 2.5D animated feature set in a futuristic Ghana, targeting a 16+ global audience. The story follows a gifted tech creator who is accused of engineering a global addiction. He must redeem himself by leading a fractured group of pan-African heroes against a covert syndicate exploiting Earth's last sacred energy source.
Developed as a franchise-ready property, ORAYA is designed for expansion across sequels, episodic series, and transmedia platforms. It is positioned within the premium animation market alongside titles such as Arcane and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Growing International Profile
AnimaxFYB Studios enters Cannes with a growing international profile, including selections at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, a Best Animation win at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, and multiple official selections across Oscar-qualifying festivals. These achievements establish the studio as a credible production partner for globally competitive animated content.
“We are not approaching Cannes as observers,” said Francis Yushau Brown, Founder and Creative Director of AnimaxFYB Studios. “ORAYA is a market-facing film built for theatrical scale. We are engaging partners who understand the long-term enterprise value of original IP and are positioned to execute globally.”
Executive Producer Ruth Ojougboh added: “We are building IP designed to travel structurally, commercially, and culturally. This is about aligning story, production, and market strategy from day one to meet global standards.”
Role of NIFS
The Nigerian International Film Summit (NIFS) continues to play a catalytic role in positioning African film businesses within global markets, facilitating access, partnerships, and structured engagement at Cannes. Its collaboration with AnimaxFYB Studios reflects a broader shift toward building export-ready African intellectual property with global commercial viability.
“AnimaxFYB represents the kind of studio Africa must scale—one that is building with global standards and long-term IP value in mind,” said Ijeoma Onah.
Looking Ahead
AnimaxFYB is currently engaging a select group of international distributors, co-production partners, and equity financiers for ORAYA and its broader slate, with private meetings scheduled throughout the Marché du Film. With ORAYA, AnimaxFYB Studios is not introducing African animation to the global market—it is competing within it, with scale, structure, and long-term franchise intent.
