She emphasized that collaboration and self-belief are crucial for women navigating the animation industry: “Women don’t have to choose between career and family. Our stories matter.”
The Sharjah Animation Conference 2025 drew animated crowds—literally and figuratively—on Saturday as a powerful panel of trailblazing women took center stage in a session titled “Women in Animation: Leading Change & Shaping the Future.” Held at Expo Centre Sharjah, the event spotlighted three female pioneers redefining animation across Africa and beyond.
Moderated by Paris-based cultural strategist Mounia Aram, the panel featured Damilola Solesi (Nigeria), Comfort Arthur (Ghana/UK), and Sarah Mallia (Kenya)—each a powerhouse storyteller committed to challenging norms, reclaiming culture, and reimagining the future of animation from a woman’s perspective.
From Lagos to Nairobi, Accra to London, the panelists shared deeply personal journeys that underscored the transformative power of storytelling in shaping perceptions and inspiring change.
Kenya-based Sarah Mallia, co-founder of Pungulu Pa Productions and the Freehand Movement, detailed her path from communications for NGOs to producing animated stories with heart.
Working on animated campaigns for UN agencies revealed the untapped potential of visual storytelling. “I saw how storytelling could drive change, but I wanted to create those stories,” Mallia said.
Her 2D animated series, Uli & Tata’s African Nursery Rhymes, revives disappearing African oral traditions through colorful, educational episodes. She emphasized that collaboration and self-belief are crucial for women navigating the animation industry: “Women don’t have to choose between career and family. Our stories matter.”
Nigerian animator and Smids Animation StudiosFounder of Smids Animation Studios founder Damilola Solesi traced her inspiration back to watching Toy Story as a child. “I stayed through the credits and realized: this is someone’s job—I want that job,” she said.
Despite pressure to study computer science, Solesi trained herself in 3D animation using YouTube tutorials. Her grit and vision propelled her studio to produce award-winning African-themed content. “Every ‘no’ fueled my determination to prove that talent has no gender,” she said.
UK-born Ghanaian animator Comfort Arthur, founder of Comfy Studio, revealed how her artistic dreams clashed with familial expectations. After moving to Ghana for a job in editing, she discovered animation as a potent medium for activism.
“In Ghana, I found my voice,” she explained. Her acclaimed short Black Barbie tackled colourism and skin bleaching, while The Peculiar Life of a Spider Girl delved into identity and mental health. “Animation became my tool to challenge stereotypes—both cultural and gendered,” she said.
