Part I of the trilogy, Akesi And The Congo River, shows a young Congolese boy, Akesi, struggling to cope with his brother's passing. He goes to the river one day and is transported to the bush, where tribes celebrate those they've lost. Seeing this, Akesi is able to reconcile his grief, and he learns about the world around him.
The information presented about the Congo is detailed and presented in a clear and engaging manner. We learn a lot about the tribes through seeing them go about their celebrations of life, which poses a nice contrast to the more didactic initial scenes. The film is animated in 2D. All scenes are vibrant and transition naturally. The use of color is especially effective during scenes where Zamata teaches viewers about the Congo and shows the busy streets of Brazzaville. The backgrounds are styled like authentic Congolese art -- they're wonderful, vibrant and absolutely suit the story! The background music has been carefully composed and curated to emulate traditional Congolese music and it really adds to the depth of the story. Sasheer Zamata of SNL fame is the presenter; her delivery is clear and effortless. Nadine Ngolo and Ange Da Costa voice Akesi's Lingala lines -- Zamata takes care of the English portions. Ngolo and Da Costa's audio is beautiful (I love the language; it's the first time I'm hearing it in a show!), but the voiceover is, at times, jarring. Subtitles are not used as effectively as they could be and volume levels shift at times. Curt Fortin's writing is absolutely stellar! I love how the information is spread throughout the episode and includes bits of Lingala.
I love Sasheer Zamata's "hosting" in this film! It helps guide the story a lot.
The message is that it's important for us to celebrate those who leave us and celebrate their lives.
I give Akesi And The Secrets Of The Forest 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
Part I of the trilogy, Akesi And The Congo River, shows a young Congolese boy, Akesi, struggling to cope with his brother's passing. He goes to the river one day and is transported to the bush, where tribes celebrate those they've lost. Seeing this, Akesi is able to reconcile his grief, and he learns about the world around him.
The information presented about the Congo is detailed and presented in a clear and engaging manner. We learn a lot about the tribes through seeing them go about their celebrations of life, which poses a nice contrast to the more didactic initial scenes. The film is animated in 2D. All scenes are vibrant and transition naturally. The use of color is especially effective during scenes where Zamata teaches viewers about the Congo and shows the busy streets of Brazzaville. The backgrounds are styled like authentic Congolese art -- they're wonderful, vibrant and absolutely suit the story! The background music has been carefully composed and curated to emulate traditional Congolese music and it really adds to the depth of the story. Sasheer Zamata of SNL fame is the presenter; her delivery is clear and effortless. Nadine Ngolo and Ange Da Costa voice Akesi's Lingala lines -- Zamata takes care of the English portions. Ngolo and Da Costa's audio is beautiful (I love the language; it's the first time I'm hearing it in a show!), but the voiceover is, at times, jarring. Subtitles are not used as effectively as they could be and volume levels shift at times. Curt Fortin's writing is absolutely stellar! I love how the information is spread throughout the episode and includes bits of Lingala.
I love Sasheer Zamata's "hosting" in this film! It helps guide the story a lot.
The message is that it's important for us to celebrate those who leave us and celebrate their lives.
I give Akesi And The Secrets Of The Forest 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
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