By Daouda Sow
It was in Dakar, on a sunny afternoon, that the director Dramane Minta and his partners chose to preview the animated series produced in French titled ‘’Entre Paya et Koulou’’ which means "Between Paya and Koulou" in English.
It is an animated series of 10 episodes that tells the story of two brothers who are close and complicit, but who always quarrel.
The multiplex cinema of the French group "Pathé" was chosen for the occasion. Among the first to discover the series were artists, actors, young people and parents who came with their children.
In room 7, the spectators follow with great attention and enthusiasm the 10 episodes compiled for the projection. The decor in the series, the clothing, the stories shared and everything refer to African realities.
Laughter and suspense
It was a deliberate and thought choice by the director, Dramane Minta. "You know, animated films are already a virgin territory to conquer. My challenge is to produce quality content, consumable by us Africans. A way to show the Africa that we want the world to discover, and not this idea of Africa that others have of us,’’ Minta tells TRT Afrika.
Between the concentration on some sequences, laughter on others, the audience was held in suspense from the beginning to the end of the projection. It was a great moment of cartoons for the little ones and beautiful discoveries for the parents.
This was an experience that thrilled Samba Diop, who came to watch "Entre Paya et Koulou", accompanied by his two little girls. He is a fan of animated films for several years.
He was in fact, one of those who followed Dramane in the production of the series, through WIDO, a video on demand application.
First of its kind
"It is a great pride for WIDO to have accompanied a young person like Dramane to set up such an initiative. Animated films are not easy at all."
"It's also a great first for us to produce an animation series that plays in a movie theater. This shows that there are structures in Senegal ready to accompany young talent, to accompany the cultural industry," Mr. Diop suggests.
Ms. Ndiaye, for her part, is a former collaborator of Dramane. She was keen to testify the seriousness of the genius director saying "Minta, you who are there, perhaps you discover it now."
"But as far as I am concerned, I discovered him very young, many years ago and I can assure you that with the talent in him, he is not yet ready to amaze you. I wish him much success in his career as a director" she concludes.
Ms Ndiaye, the promoter of an audiovisual production agency for animated films has collaborated with Dramane for several years. Such collaborations, according to her, have always brought her much satisfaction.
The production of the animation series "Between Paya and Koulou" also allowed the director to gather a small team of technicians and other actors, such as Stanislas Gomez, specialist in sound design, audio and video editing.
"It was the first time we had animations of this kind. But in the past, I had already collaborated with Dramane on a mini-series called "Rama and Aisha", which during Covid-19, helped children understand how to wash their hands" he explains to TRT Afrika.
11-year-old Othniel Ogoussan, who is in class of CM2, interpreted the voice-over of Paya in the animation series "Between Paya and Koulou".
Challenging awards
A first experience in the cinematographic field which already gives him ideas. "This experience makes me want to go even further" he said with enthusiasm.
"I would like to make a career in dubbing in animated films. It's like a first step in my life that is coming true" says the boy.
"Between Paya and Koulou" is making its way. It has won the special prize for the best animated series at FESPACO 2023 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and the special jury prize at the Vues d'Afrique festival in Montreal, Canada.
Dramane Minta considers these awards as a challenge and also a motivation for him to do better. "Paya and Koulou must do more. You know when you get to a certain level, you can no longer make mistakes. You must always meet expectations,’’ he says.
After the first ten episodes available in theaters and on video on demand, the director intends to go to twenty-two episodes of the series "Between Paya and Koulou". This, to the delight of fans of animated films and "edutainment".
Dramane Minta is not at his first attempt. The director has already produced many other films including "Rama and Aicha" (2021), "Coco laye laye" (2019), "Touche pas" (2015), "Oh My Mind" (2020), among others, works that have earned him to be selected at several art festivals.
