« Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation » at the FLiCKERFEST. Sidney, Australia. January 2014

« Special Mention Award » and « Junior Jury Award » at the National animated film festival. Bruz, France. December 2013

« Miniyamba confirms that animation can tackle difficult and painful subjects, venturing into the realm of documentary frontal, without misery, without Manichaeism, and every technical choice produces a wide range of emotions and can watch with lucidity a tragic reality without despair of Mankind. »

« Region Rhône-Alpes Award » at the 34th Villeurbanne shortfilm festival. Villeurbanne, France. November 2013

« Special Mention » at the 29th Interfilm festival in Berlin, Germany. November 2013

« The special mention goes To the animated film Miniyamba for artistic approach to a difficult and complex story of hardship and migrant’s risky journey from sub-saharan Africa to Europe. It is a film of powerfull and colorful images combined with rich soundscape and marvelous music – creating a strong harmonic and lasting impression. »

« Best music Award » at the International Festival of Animated Films TOFUZI. Batuni, Georgia. October 2013

« Audiance Award » at the first Hendaia film festival in Hendaye, France. October 2013

« Art World Special Award » at the « Normadie et le Monde film festival » in Vernon, France. October 2013

Best Animation shortfilm award at the Alpinale festival. Nemzig, Austria. August 2013

« Luc Perez, deals with the controversial and sensitive subject of immigration. The jury awarded him for his insightful and captivating approach to storytelling. »

« Best music Mention » at the ANIBAR Animation shortfilm festival. Peja, Kosovo. August 2013

« A sumptuous animated film, with sweeps of painted color, following the efforts of a Mali blues singer to leave his native Africa for Europe, exposing his soulful music to a new audience. The marvelous music, aided by the gorgeous visuals, make this a memorable, visual feast. » Press review by huffingtonpost.com

Official trailer

Trailer 1

Miniyamba — Walking blues

Like thousands of people around the world who every day leave their homeland, Abdu, a young Malian, has decided to reach Europe. A trip to the Niger River to the barbed wire of the Ceuta, where dreams are confronted with the harsh reality, the distant lights of the West …

MINIYAMBA is the name of a mythical boa encircling a village where people could not leave. A woman managed to charm the animal by promising to return to tell him about the world. This story, in various forms, has become a griot song that everyone knows in western Africa. It symbolizes for me the Europe preferring building gates and fences rather than embrace the world …