'Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire' Brings Futuristic Stories of Africa to Disney+ on July 5

“Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” is an animated sci-fi anthology coming to Disney+ worldwide on July 5, 2023, and it presents 10 futuristic visions from Africa inspired by the continent’s diverse histories and cultures.

About the Anthology

Featuring stories from creators hailing from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire” promises to take viewers on an unforgettable ride into Africa’s future, presenting visions of the continent as never before seen.

The voice cast for these stories features a global ensemble of talent including: Florence Kasumba (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever“), Kehinde Bankole (“Blood Sisters”), Pearl Thusi (“Queen Sono”), Hakeem Kae-Kazim (“Hotel Rwanda”, “Godzilla vs. Kong”), Sheila Munyiva (“Rafiki”), Stycie Waweru (“Supa Modo”, “Supa Sema”), Candice Modiselle (“Generations: The Legacy”), Lillian Dube (“Soul City”), Clementine Mosimane (“Poppie Nongena”), and Mandisa Nduna (“Blood Psalms”), as well as comedians Tumi Morake (“Seriously Single”), Sne Dladla (“Black Tax”),Tyson Ngubeni (“A Royal Surprise”) and rappers Nasty C (“Blood & Water”) and Gigi Lamayne (“Temptation Island: South Africa”).

Executive produced by Oscar®-winning director Peter Ramsey (“Spider-man: Into The Spider-Verse”), along with Tendayi Nyeke and Anthony Silverston, these 10 short films made by a new generation of directors draw on uniquely African perspectives to imagine brave new worlds of advanced technology, aliens, spirits, and even monsters.

The Stories

The 10 stories and directors included in this anthology are:

“Enkai“
Directed by: Ng’endo Mukii, Kenya

Floating through the universe in her gourd-shaped home, young Enkai just wants to spend time with her single mother, Shiro, a cosmic deity who works all the time in the stressful and demanding job of saving the Earth from man-made destruction. With Shiro’s health fading, Enkai must uncover the secrets of creation, and use her own divine powers to bring an entirely new future into being.

“First Totem Problems“
Directed by: Tshepo Moche, South Africa

Teenager Sheba is excited to finally receive her digital totem, a mark of adulthood that connects every citizen with their ancestors and gives full access to the privileges of society. Thanks to her bickering family, Sheba’s totem ceremony goes horribly wrong, accidentally sending her to the ancestral plane. Sheba discovers an infernal bureaucracy and a festering feud between two sides of her family which must be resolved before Sheba can find her own voice and return to the land of the living.

“Hatima“
Directed by: Terence Maluleke and Isaac Mogajane, South Africa

Two nations are locked in an endless war, as an underwater tribe battles a kingdom on land. Mati, a young water-tribe warrior, and Nhela, the princess of the land kingdom, are drawn into the conflict in pursuit of their deepest desires. Mati wants to join the fighting to avenge his father, while Nhela struggles to change the way her people see Hatima, the mysterious element that is the cause of all the bloodshed. Their stories collide and challenge the deepest beliefs of both their peoples.

“Herderboy“
Directed by: Raymond Malinga, Uganda

On the wild frontier of the Chewzi Kingdom in the highlands of future Uganda, an elite trio of herders protect precious cyborg cattle from deadly spirits. Hidden amongst the herd is teenage stowaway Ndahura, who is desperate to prove himself as a warrior and become a legend like his three heroes. When the herders are attacked, Ndahura makes a reckless choice to take on a vengeful hyena monster that he must fight alone.

“Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer“
Directed by: Simangaliso “Panda” Sibaya and Malcolm Wopé, South Africa

Manzo is a half-human, half-alien teenager who dreams of becoming a superstar racer like his mother, the legendary masked racer Mkhuzi. Always struggling to reconcile his Zulu heritage with his alien blood, Manzo is outraged when aliens threaten to destroy his Soweto neighbourhood and his injured mother challenges her old nemesis Ogun, an alien overlord, to a re-match he knows she won’t survive. Manzo takes the mask for himself and joins the epic race with everything he loves at stake.

“Moremi“
Directed by: Shofela Coker, Nigeria

Lonely spirit boy Luo is trapped in the realm of the gods and haunted by terrifying giants, until he is suddenly rescued by Moremi, a daring scientist from future Nigeria. With the giants in hot pursuit, they escape across the country and head for the sanctuary of Moremi’s lab. As Moremi helps Luo connect with his lost memories she reveals the truth of the terrible sacrifice that was once made to save their people.

“Mukudzei“
Directed by: Pious Nyenyewa and Tafadzwa Hove, Zimbabwe

After defacing and destroying a sacred monument, rebellious teenage influencer Mukudzei emerges from the ruins into an alternate future where Zimbabwe was never colonized and developed into a technologically advanced utopian society. Lost and confused, Mukudzei meets a mysterious scavenger named Rumbie and begs her for help, but quickly discovers he’s being hunted by the Hungwe, a huge robotic eagle enforcing the most sophisticated justice system in the multiverse.

“Stardust“
Directed by: Ahmed Teilab, Egypt

Nawara, a stable girl and outcast from society, crashes an elite coming-of-age ceremony and demands her own destiny scroll from the all-knowing Oracle. Amused by her courage, the Oracle gives her a scroll, but later Nawara discovers the scroll is blank. Furious, she sets off on a perilous journey through the wilderness to confront the Oracle but discovers that she is not the only one hunting him down. Nawara must defeat sinister forces and her own dark past to find her destiny

“Surf Sangoma“
Directed by: Nthato Mokgata and Catherine Green, South Africa

In 2050, with raging sea levels, the coastal city of Durban is protected by a huge wall and all ocean activities are banned. Njabulo and Mqobi, two best friends with a passion for surfing, are desperate to get back to the real ocean, even if it means joining a notorious criminal gang who use radioactive octopi to help them survive the colossal and deadly waves. Njabulo must confront his traumatic past and the treachery of the gang to save his friend’s life and rediscover his surfing destiny.

“You Give Me Heart“
Directed by: Lesego Vorster, South Africa

In an opulent world where the gods get their powers from social media adoration, struggling artist Sundiata joins the talent competition “Who Wants To Be A God?” in a desperate attempt to be seen and impress the most popular deity of all: Maadi, the Goddess of Plenty. Sundiata wins by a fluke, shocking the world by becoming the new God of Creativity. Ascending to the realm of the gods, he will discover what it means to be worshipped by the masses, and who Maadi really is behind her facade.