Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut

Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut
TT

Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut

Supa Team 4: Netflix's First African Animation in Trailblazing Debut

Netflix's first original African animated series premiered on Thursday in a debut its creator said she hoped would pave the way for more productions from the continent.

Set in a futuristic version of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, "Supa Team 4" tells the story of four teen girls who turn undercover superheroes after being recruited by a retired secret agent to save the world.

"I'm excited that the world finally gets to see the fantastic show that the incredibly talented super team, from Africa and beyond, have put together," Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema told AFP in a statement.

"We hope 'Supa Team 4'... will lead to further investment and collaboration so we can continue to grow the industry."

Mulendema created the series after pitching it at a pan-African talent search by animation studio Triggerfish, where she became one of the winners in 2015.

When the show was first announced in 2019, Mulendema said she set the story in her home country to "illustrate that anyone from anywhere can be a superhero".

"(Animation) series shaped our childhoods and to know young Zambians get to see what they've never seen on TV before is Amazing!!" Zambian singer Sampa the Great, who worked on the theme song, wrote on Instagram this month.

Netflix has bet on diversifying its production outside the United States in recent years, scoring big with series including Spanish smash "Money Heist" and South Korean dystopian drama "Squid Game".

In April, the firm said it planned to expand operations in Africa and give "more African storytellers an amplified voice on the global stage".



'Shrek' Director Tackles Taboo in Netflix Fairy Tale 'Spellbound'

(L-R) US actress Jenifer Lewis, US-Australian actress Nicole Kidman, US actor Tituss Burgess, US actress Rachel Zegler, Spanish actor Javier Bardem and US actor Nathan Lane arrive for the New York premiere of Netflix's animated film "Spellbound," on November 11, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)
(L-R) US actress Jenifer Lewis, US-Australian actress Nicole Kidman, US actor Tituss Burgess, US actress Rachel Zegler, Spanish actor Javier Bardem and US actor Nathan Lane arrive for the New York premiere of Netflix's animated film "Spellbound," on November 11, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)
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'Shrek' Director Tackles Taboo in Netflix Fairy Tale 'Spellbound'

(L-R) US actress Jenifer Lewis, US-Australian actress Nicole Kidman, US actor Tituss Burgess, US actress Rachel Zegler, Spanish actor Javier Bardem and US actor Nathan Lane arrive for the New York premiere of Netflix's animated film "Spellbound," on November 11, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)
(L-R) US actress Jenifer Lewis, US-Australian actress Nicole Kidman, US actor Tituss Burgess, US actress Rachel Zegler, Spanish actor Javier Bardem and US actor Nathan Lane arrive for the New York premiere of Netflix's animated film "Spellbound," on November 11, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)

Animated films tackling parent separation and divorce are few and far between.

While live-action kids' classics like "The Parent Trap" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" have used the concept as a launchpad for humorous antics, animation has tended to steer entirely clear of the issue.

"Isn't that funny... you can kill off a parent in a movie like 'Lion King,' or 'Bambi,'" said Vicky Jenson, best known for co-directing "Shrek."

"Disney moms are often dead -- the only time anyone remarries is because the other spouse is dead. This topic of separation, of parents not being able to live together... it's taboo."

But in Jenson's new film, "Spellbound," a princess's parents have been transformed by a dastardly spell into literal monsters.

It is an allegorical device that forces young Ellian to try to "fix" her mother and father, and their broken family.

"We encountered some resistance when we were looking for someone to help bring the movie to the world, a partner to distribute the movie," Jenson told AFP.

"They all reacted the same way, like: 'What a beautiful movie, what a great message.' And then they ghosted us!"

The movie went through a number of different studios, including Paramount and Apple TV+, before ultimately landing at Netflix, which will release the film Friday.

"I credit Netflix for stepping up bravely and partnering with us on this," said Jenson.

"In this environment, it does feel like stories that push the boundaries are more accessible on streaming.

"Theaters are kind of filled with superheroes right now... the big safe bets."

- 'Monsters' -

As the film starts, tenacious teen princess Ellian (voiced by Rachel Zegler) is desperately seeking a cure for the mysterious spell that has transformed her parents, Queen Ellsmere (Nicole Kidman) and King Solon (Javier Bardem).

To make matters worse, she must hide the whole mess from the oblivious citizens of Lumbria.

When the secret gets out, and panic spreads throughout the kingdom, Ellian is forced on a dangerous quest to undo the curse.

But even if she succeeds, she soon learns that her family may never go back to the way it once was.

To make Ellian's reaction to her -- literally -- monstrous parents believable and accurate, filmmakers employed the consulting services of a family psychologist and therapist who specialized in divorce.

"Kids feel like it's their responsibility to fix this. They don't understand that something happened to their parents -- they're acting like monsters," explained Jenson.

The director, and cast and crew, also drew on their own experiences, "because we all know our parents are monsters at one point -- and as parents, we're all monsters at one point," she joked.

- An inverse 'Shrek'? -

The end result is a thoroughly contemporary parable, set in a magical fairytale kingdom.

That has clear echoes of Jenson's smash-hit directing debut "Shrek," but with cause and effect reversed.

"'Shrek' was the modern take on fairy tales. This was a fairy tale take on a modern story," she said.

For Jenson and the filmmakers -- including legendary composer Alan Menken, of "The Little Mermaid,Beauty and the Beast" and countless more -- it was important to bring this "truth about family life" to the screen.

It "is there for so many of us, but hadn't been approached as a myth or as a new fairy tale before," said Jenson.

"Now, a new fairy tale is out there for that experience that so many kids, so many parents, so many families need help through."