Trace, Nigeria’s Afro-Urban entertainment powerhouse, has begun distributing the new Nigerian 3D animated film- “Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters”, after recently inking a huge deal with Hot Ticket Productions to distribute the film globally.
According to Quartz Africa, Trace’s distribution arm inked a deal with Hot Ticket Productions to distribute Nigeria’s first feature- length 3D animation, “Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters”, worldwide in May this year thus, opening a door to potential global audience for an animation that was conceived in the home of a Nigerian geologist.
“The release of the first Nigerian feature-length , cinematic animation film Ladybuckit and the Motley Mopsters, opened the doors to animation in Nigeria”, Trace said.
With the animation gaining industry traction, the film’s executive producer Blessing Amidu is taking up her first win in the animation industry.
For Amidu, making the movie meant a lot more than just the production. It meant an entire career change, pivoting from geologist to filmmaker.
‘’ They seem like two separate worlds but in fact, they are not. The ‘Art’ is who I am and the ‘Geologist’ was whom I had to become to survive”, she explained in an interview.
The movie’s premiere wowed Nigeria and has been winning global accolades from both movie buffs and critics. Despite its relatively low budget, the animation grossed more revenue in Nigeria than the well-known, Pixar’s animated fantasy comedy-drama film Soul, which hit the cinema around the same time.
“Lady Buckit” transcends generations, with both kids and adults able to relate with both the storyline and the characters.
The animated film featured voices actors including veterans, Patrick Doyle, Bimbo Akintola,, Kalu Igweagu, newcomers Kelechi Udegbe, Awazi Angbalaga, and child actors, Jessica Edwards, David Edwards and David Akpapkwu.
The animation also features Black characters, in their different shades of skin tone. The movie’s dialogues also proudly incorporate Nigeria’s Ijaw, Pidgin, Yoruba and English.
For Amidu, the importance of “Lady Buckit is also how it is able to change the narrative of the various stories coming from Niger Delta of being a place of violence, deprivation, suffering and poverty for the people living in that region.
The animated film, she also believes has the power to change the narrative on Africa’s film industry.
“Coming back to Africa, no part of this production was done out of Nigeria. You can take this production anywhere; and it will be able to fly. Nobody thought we could do animation, let alone 3D animation”, she said.
Following the success of “Lady Buckit”, Amidu and her new production studio are just getting started, with a big idea on a sequel which is already in the works.
