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Logline

When Timba, an overlooked and restless servant’s rare ability to unlock magic in others is discovered, she must find the courage to do what she most fears: be vulnerable, lean on unlikely companions, and defy powerful people intent on exploiting her gift.

Synopsis

In a divided galaxy where only royals can wield magic and planets are ruled by fear — the paths of three unlikely teenagers – a timid girl with a dangerous gift, a spoiled prince out of his depth, and an unpredictable warrior with everything to lose — collide on a high-stakes mission that reveals that they might be the key to saving their world.

When TIMBA, an awkward teen’s forbidden ability to unlock magic in others is discovered, MOTO, a lowly chief, decides to use her to build a magical army to destroy rival KING IPA and control his Eden-esque planet of Huchiland himself. But when Ipa’s reckless son, BASI, and his friends attack Moto in a hazing ritual, their mission fails. Fearing being turned into a weapon, Timba uses the chaos and takes Basi hostage. She demands that he smuggle her into Huchiland, where a cure for her dangerous powers is rumored to exist at the Sacred Magical Pool.

They launch forward but are cornered by NYEZI, an explosive girl from a rival planet. Nyezi mistakes the duo for Huchiland troops that kidnapped her sister, whom she must rescue before King Ipa uses her for nefarious ends. As Basi grapples with his family’s role in their broken world, this riotous adventure of forced allyship will push Timba out of her comfort zone and encourage her to trust others. Hot-headed Nyezi’s chaotic powers make it impossible to move undetected, but she learns that strategy, not just emotion, matters. And the coddled, larger-than-life Basi unlocks a resourcefulness and compassion that enables him to connect with his true purpose.

With every obstacle and victory, Timba, Basi, and Nyezi clash. Still, as they lean into vulnerability and collaboration, this messy crew of found family becomes the key to saving the world.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Tendayi Nyeke — Writer/Director/Executive Producer
Annie Award-winning and Children’s Emmy-nominated producer Tendayi Nyeke has over 15 years of experience in live-action writing, directing, and producing, which has earned her global recognition. She became a development executive at Emmy-winning Triggerfish Animation, where she led story development for shorts, series, and features in collaboration with international partners.

Notably, she served as Executive Producer for the Annie Award-winning Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (Disney+, 2023), supporting 14 African directors, and was recognized by The LA Times as one of the top 2023 animated shows. Her feature film, Tribe, was a MIFA 2022 selection, was pitched at Annecy, and was highlighted by Cartoon Brew as one of the top five films in development to watch that year. It will also be pitched at the Durban Film Mart: Pitch and Finance Forum in 2025.

Currently, she’s developing an unannounced animated film for a global streamer. Tendayi holds an MBA in Music and Creative Industries, and her ultimate aspiration is to amplify diverse voices globally and harness creativity to celebrate the inherent fun, madness, and beauty within us all.

Andre de Villiers — Animation Director
André de Villiers is an Animation Director with over eighteen years of experience in animation. He has produced a broad range of projects in feature animation, television, and branded entertainment.

A skilled painter and artist, André credits his critical eye to a lifelong habit of observation and a deep interest in the nuances of human behaviour, emotion, and expression, including making detailed studies and sketches of the micro-expressions of humans and animals. In 2024, he was nominated for Best Character Animation at the Annie Awards for his work on Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, specifically the episode “Moremi,” which was also nominated for an Emmy Award in 2025.

André’s early notable work includes Free Willy 4, Resident Evil, Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron, Deep Blue Sea 2, Gracie and Pedro, Seal Team, Disney Plus’ Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire episodes: Moremi, Stardust and Surf Sangoma, and most recently the feature film David (due 2025). His career as a freelance artist has enabled André to collaborate directly with several highly acclaimed international studios, including Parovoz (Russia), Platige (Poland), Glassworks (Amsterdam and London), and Preymaker (New York).

Kaydee De Villiers — Producer
Kaydee De Villiers specializes in animation development, project management, and production and has produced and overseen the creation of content from idea to production, greenlight, and distribution across multiple platforms. As well as managing exhibitions and digital events in the local animation industry, through the largest animation networking event in Africa, Cape Town International Animation Festival, Kaydee has also consulted broadly with international animation studios, including on features for Parovoz (Russia), Glassworks (Amsterdam and London) and Preymaker (New York), before establishing her own animation company, Ferin Collective.

She has worked with Triggerfish (South Africa) on the Annie Award-winning Disney+’s’ Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire Episodes E04 Surf Sangoma, and E08 Stardust; as well as other local and international games, TVCs, and museum installations through Ferin. Her expertise in building, managing, and maintaining global teams and complex operations was well-suited to events and animation, where she successfully sourced international animators and managed strategic workflows in production and live event spaces.

Kaydee is a passionate and compassionate manager and problem solver who believes in collaboration, communication, and strategic leadership to drive productivity. Above all, Kaydee loves visual and cultural storytelling and is continually inspired by the artists with whom she collaborates.

Alessandro Giovanetto — Composer
Alessandro Giovanetto is an Italian film composer specializing in evocative and immersive scores for film, television, animation, and documentaries.

With a degree in Contemporary Music Performance from the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance and a Master’s in Composition for Screen from the Royal College of Music, his work blends technical expertise with a deep passion for storytelling through music. During his career, he has toured and recorded as a session guitarist for various artists, launched the indie pop project Nefeli On Clouds alongside Greek singer Nefeli, and founded Funny Ears Productions, a collective of international composers.

As a composer, he has contributed to a diverse range of projects across multiple media. Most recently, he composed the score for Food For Profit, a film shortlisted to represent Italy at the 2024/2025 Oscars, and Here We Are Now, a project exploring the complexities of conflict. He also scored an upcoming narrative feature, a comedy-drama directed by Tendayi Nyeke.

Mike Uwandi — Production Designer
Mike Uwandi is a celebrated Art Director and Concept Artist with over a decade of experience across live-action, animation, and video games. His credits include major titles such as Marvel’s Moon Knight, Captain America: Brave New World, Star Wars, Wicked, Blue Beetle, Predator: Killer of Killers, Fortnite, and EA’s upcoming Black Panther game.

He has collaborated with top studios including Marvel, Warner Bros., ILM, Disney, CBS, Sony, and Fox. His costume design contributions to Moon Knight, The Mandalorian: Season 2, The Book of Boba Fett, and Westworld received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Costume Design in a Sci-Fi or Fantasy Series.

Mike is also the co-founder of 9B Collective, a company working to shift the entertainment industry toward greater inclusivity. Through partnerships with organizations such as the BRIC Foundation, Vijona, and the Compton Alliance, he supports and mentors underrepresented youth in Africa and Los Angeles. As a global speaker and educator, Mike shares his expertise at leading industry events including Comic-Con, Playgrounds Festival, and LightBox Expo. He also spoke at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures about navigating the creative world. His commitment to bold, inclusive storytelling keeps him at the forefront of visual design.

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Contact

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