Ghanaian animator becomes first to win Best Student Film Award at ANNIE Awards

Ghanaian animator, Zackie

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ghanaian self-taught animator, Razahk Issaka, popularly known as Zackie, has made history by winning the Best Student Film Award at the prestigious ANNIE Awards in California.

These awards, presented by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, annually since 1972, acknowledge exceptional animation shown in film and television.

Zackie is best known for his work on the popular cartoon series, Aluta, which has gained a massive following in Ghana and beyond.

The ANNIE Awards are also considered the highest honour in the animation industry.

This year's awards ceremony, which was held in California, saw Zackie's graduation short film, along with three other African nationals, take home the coveted Best Student Film award.

In a post the animator shared on Instagram, he expressed his gratitude to ASIFA-Hollywood for recognizing the works of him and his colleagues, and for awarding them the prestigious honour.

He also thanked Netflix for providing him with a full scholarship to attend Gobelins, the renowned animation school in Paris, where he honed his skills and created his award-winning short film from.

Zackie's short film, which was released on YouTube on October 32, 2021, was the culmination of two years of hard work and dedication.

He described his experience at Gobelins as "tremendously challenging" but also "important" for his growth as a self-taught animator.

With his unique style and vision, Zackie is poised to become one of Africa's leading animators and storytellers.