Karine Barclais
Founder, Pavillon Afriques at Cannes
Named President of the Jury for the 2025 Transhumanists Africa Artificial Intelligence Short Film Festival
Lagos, Nigeria – July 1, 2025 — Transhumanists Africa is proud to announce Karine Barclais as President of the Jury for the inaugural Artificial Intelligence Short Film Festival (TA-AISFF), to be held November 21–23, 2025, under the theme: “African Visions of African Futures.
” A powerhouse in the global film industry and an unwavering advocate for African cinema, Karine Barclais brings unmatched insight and visionary leadership to the festival’s jury. As founder of the Pavillon Afriques at Cannes and a seasoned curator of African cinematic excellence, she has spent two decades building platforms that spotlight and empower African filmmakers on the world stage.
“Karine’s appointment is a perfect match for this historic moment,” said Marlin Adams, Festival Director. “She understands both the urgency and the beauty of African futurism. Her work amplifies voices from the continent and the diaspora with creativity, strategy, and heart. We’re honored to have her lead this first jury.
” The TA-AISFF is the first African film festival dedicated to short films exploring the future of the continent through the lens of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Films submitted span genres—from speculative fiction and documentary to animation and experimental—imagining life 50 years from now, shaped by tools of our own design.
“This festival creates space for us to imagine the future through our own eyes and voices. African creators are not just participating in tomorrow—we’re designing it. TA-AISFF is a bold step toward owning our narratives”, Karine Barclais added.
Barclais will lead a diverse jury of global creatives, academics, technologists, and cultural leaders who will award top honors in categories including Best Film, Most Innovative Use of AI, and the Best Visionary Storytelling.
About Transhumanists Africa
Transhumanists Africa is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the intersection of emerging technologies, African development, and creative expression. Through research, storytelling, and public events, it fosters bold ideas for inclusive futures.
Media Contact: TranshumanistsAfrica@gmail.com
Obinna Okerekeocha
Founder, Naija Artificial Intelligence Film Festival
Joins Transhumanists Africa AI Short Film Festival as Judge, Championing
Cross-Festival Collaboration
Lagos, Nigeria –July 7, 2025 — Transhumanists Africa is proud to announce that Obinna Okerekeocha will serve as a Judge for the upcoming AI Short Film Festival (TA-AISFF), taking place November 21–23, 2025. A trailblazer at the intersection of creativity, technology, and storytelling, Obinna brings unmatched experience from a decade shaping Nigeria’s brand, media, and digital entertainment space.
Obinna is also the founder of the Naija Artificial Intelligence Film Festival (NAIFF), set for September 13, 2025. NAIFF is dedicated to spotlighting a new generation of filmmakers harnessing the power of AI to create groundbreaking cinematic experiences. As AI continues to reshape storytelling, NAIFF serves as a platform to celebrate innovation, creativity, and the limitless possibilities of AI-powered filmmaking.
Rather than operate as competitors, NAIFF and TA-AISFF have chosen to collaborate—building bridges across Nigeria’s creative and tech ecosystems to foster wider community engagement, cross-promotion, and industry-wide innovation.
From pioneering REDTV as its inaugural Creative Director to leading major projects at the Tony Elumelu Foundation and now shaping content strategy at Moniepoint MFB,
Obinna has consistently championed youth talent, creative excellence, and African futures. His participation as a TA-AISFF Judge is part of a shared mission to elevate
voices exploring Africa in 50 years through the lens of Genetics, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Nanotechnology.
For more on the TA-AISFF or to submit your film, visit TranshumanistsAfrica.org.
To learn more about NAIFF, visit: https://filmfreeway.com/NaijaAIFilmFestival
About Transhumanists Africa
Transhumanists Africa is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the intersection of emerging technologies, African development, and creative expression. Through research, storytelling, and public events, it fosters bold ideas for inclusive futures.
Media Contact:
Ebele Okoye
Ebele Okoye is Africa’s pioneering female animator, an international speaker, mentor, and multi-award-winning creative force in the global animation industry. With over 20 years of experience bridging continents, she has shaped the narrative of African animation and championed the ethical integration of emerging technologies into media.
A two-time Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) winner, Ebele’s work has been recognized by Amnesty International, the U.S. Congress, the DEFA Foundation, and the Robert Bosch Foundation. Her career reflects a deep commitment to socially conscious storytelling and to building pathways for young African creatives in the global market.
Ebele is the Co-Founder and COO of Jolly Squid Media, a pioneering hybrid animation studio with hubs in Nigeria, Germany, and Croatia, and the creator of Spunky Toonz, an EdTech brand inspiring early childhood learning through fun, values-driven animation. She also leads Noa Vista Studios, an initiative dedicated to ethical AI-assisted storytelling, empowering creators to use AI tools responsibly without compromising intellectual property or creative integrity.
Beyond her creative ventures, Ebele has been a driving force in animation training and mentorship, founding programs such as Motion to the Sound and AniJolly Girls, which have nurtured young talent across Africa and beyond. She has also lectured at Bauhaus University in Germany and facilitated international productions linking Europe and Africa.
Currently, Ebele serves on the Diaspora Advisory Board of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), continuing her mission to amplify African innovation on the world stage. Her work reflects a bold vision: leveraging creativity, technology, and ethics to reimagine the future of storytelling for Africa and the world.
About Transhumanists Africa
Transhumanists Africa is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the intersection of emerging technologies, African development, and creative expression. Through research, storytelling, and public events, it fosters bold ideas for inclusive futures.
Media Contact:
