By Juliet Umeh

Executive Producer and creative entrepreneur, Ruth Ojougboh, will present the feature-length animated film ORAYA at the Marché du Film during the Cannes Film Festival, as part of the Focus on Africa Conference within the market’s official programme.

Ojougboh, whose work focuses on African storytelling, children’s intellectual property, and animation for global audiences, is steadily building a reputation across international film circuits.

She previously executive-produced Blinded by the Lights, which was officially selected at several Oscar-qualifying festivals, including Annecy, DOK Leipzig, and the Pan African Film Festival.

She also contributed to the TAIDO project by Sony Group’s NGO, Arc & Beyond, which went on to receive three awards within Japan’s anime industry.

Produced by AnimaxFYB Studios, ORAYA is a 90-minute 2.5D animated feature set in a futuristic Ghana and targeted at a global audience aged 16 and above.

The story follows a gifted tech creator accused of triggering a global addiction crisis, who must lead a fractured group of pan-African heroes against a covert syndicate exploiting Earth’s last sacred energy source.

Currently in early development, the project is supported with visual assets and is actively engaging international partners for financing, co-production, and distribution opportunities.

AnimaxFYB Studios has continued to deepen its international presence, with selections at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, a Best Animation win at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, and multiple official selections across Oscar-qualifying festivals.

“This is not just a film; it is African-owned IP designed to grow beyond a single release,” said Ojougboh.

Founder and Creative Director of AnimaxFYB Studios, Francis Yushau Brown, added: “We are building original African stories with the structure and ambition to compete globally.”

Private meetings with selected partners are scheduled throughout the Marché du Film.

With ORAYA, the studio says its focus remains clear: African-owned stories built with intention, ownership, and global reach.