*A version of this article originally appeared in the January 2022 Bush Telegraph newsletter. You can read our recent newsletters and sign-up to receive these in your inbox on our Bush Telegraph newsletter page.
Sitting around a crackling campfire, nightcap in hand, reminiscing about the day’s wildlife highlights is something of a safari ritual. Between laid-back stargazing and listening to distant animal calls, there’s often a tale of daring or comedic animal antics told by an animated guide. Through listening to these stories, all of us at Expert Africa have often learned more about the places we’re staying, the quirks of the local wildlife or the cultural heritage of our hosts. The simple joy of listening to a seasoned storyteller is good for the soul – and Africa is full of wonderful stories and storytellers.
So we are excited to hear that storytelling is about to receive an even wider audience. In celebration of the tradition, Netflix and UNESCO have recently teamed up to showcase the finest in African folklore. In an open competition, emerging filmmakers from across sub-Saharan Africa have been invited to submit the ‘bravest, wittiest and most surprising retellings of some of Africa’s most-loved folktales’ for a new series.
Each of the six winning filmmakers will receive a US$25,000 prize and a production grant of US$75,000 to develop, shoot and produce their folktale films under the guidance of a team of illustrious mentors from across the African film industry. The resulting films will be streamed on Netflix later in 2022 under the series title African Folktales, Reimagined. We cannot wait to see the results, and hope you enjoy them from wherever you are in the world.
Meanwhile, if you’d like to pull up a director’s chair by the fire, do get in touch with Expert Africa, and we’ll guide you to our favourite campfire spots across Africa, not to mention our favourite storytelling guides.
If you’ve been inspired and want to find out more, give us a call or enquire now to speak to an expert.
