Grammy Award-winning DJ and producer Black Coffee has added his sonic touch to APART, an ambitious animated short film that recently held its African premiere at FAME Week Africa in Cape Town.
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Directed by acclaimed South African illustrator and director Pola Maneli, the powerful project brings together an extraordinary line-up of international and local creative heavyweights, fusing animation, history, and deeply resonant storytelling.
A heavyweight global and local collaboration
Written by legendary Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee alongside Tim Jones, Jeff Leisawitz, and Lubabalo Mtati, APART marks a historic creative partnership between Hollywood royalty and South African visionaries. Produced by Spike Lee’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks banner, the project brings a bold, personal cultural perspective to the screen.
The film’s aesthetic identity is further elevated by Maxhosa Africa founder Laduma Ngxokolo, who served as costume designer. Ngxokolo crafted distinctive isiXhosa wardrobe styles for the animated characters, infusing South Africa’s rich cultural heritage directly into the visual fabric of the narrative.
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Sonic and visual storytelling set in Apartheid South Africa
Set against the harsh backdrop of apartheid South Africa, APART follows two young boys, Themba and Joel, who form a forbidden friendship that tests the artificial boundaries of race and prejudice. As societal hatred threatens to pull them apart, their bond faces its ultimate test in a poignant, life-saving gesture of human connection.
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Serving as music supervisor, Black Coffee enriches the narrative with a deeply layered, evocative soundscape that anchors the emotional weight of the story. Visually, the short combines four distinct animation techniques, including 2D, cut-out, and 3D styles, with one visual thread drawing directly from traditional anti-apartheid woodcut printmaking used by Black artists between 1948 and 1994.
African premiere and global recognition
Following its global festival run, which included premieres at Tribeca and qualifying for Oscar consideration, APART officially screened for African audiences at the Fame Shorts Film Festival during FAME Week Africa in Cape Town.
Created over 600 days by a dedicated team of 266 professionals without the use of artificial intelligence, the short stands as a testament to authentic, human-led storytelling. By bridging cinema, fashion, and music, the project highlights how South African history can be globally communicated through groundbreaking artistic innovation.
Featured image: Getty Images/Matt Winkelmeyer
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