Executive producer Ruth Ojougboh is set to showcase the feature-length animated film Oraya at the Marché du Film, which runs alongside the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes on May 13, 2026. The presentation is part of the Focus on Africa Conference within the market’s official program, designed to highlight emerging creative voices and projects from the African continent.
Film Details and Plot
Produced by AnimaxFYB Studios, Oraya is a 90-minute 2.5D animated feature set in a futuristic Ghana. The film targets a global audience aged 16 and above. Its story follows a gifted tech creator who is accused of triggering a global addiction. This protagonist must lead a fractured group of pan-African heroes against a covert syndicate that is exploiting the Earth’s last sacred energy source.
Development and Partnerships
The project is currently in early development, supported by visual assets. The studio is actively engaging partners in financing, co-production, and distribution. “This is not just a film; it is African-owned IP designed to grow beyond a single release,” Ojougboh said. Founder and Creative Director Francis Yushau Brown added: “We are building original African stories with the structure and ambition to compete globally.”
Market Activities
Private meetings with selected partners are scheduled throughout the Marché du Film, as the studio seeks to deepen collaborations and scale production. Ojougboh, a creative entrepreneur known for championing African stories and children’s intellectual property for global audiences, has previously executive produced Blinded by the Lights. That film earned official selections at Oscar-qualifying festivals including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, DOK Leipzig, and the Pan African Film Festival. She also contributed to the TAIDO project by Sony Group’s NGO, Arc & Beyond, which garnered three awards within Japan’s anime industry.
