Ugo and Sim Sim Make a Grand Entry to Annecy Animation Festival 2025

Ugo and Sim Sim, the beloved animated series centered on the joyful sibling bond between a neurodiverse young girl and her curious older brother, has officially been selected, out of 2000 applicants, to pitch at the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025, one of the world’s most prestigious animation platforms held annually in Annecy, France.

Created by Nigerian author and special needs advocate Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie, Ugo and Sim Sim is a landmark animated series inspired by her real-life children, Ugo and Simone, and their shared experiences growing up with their parents in the bustling city of Lagos.

The series is the first of its kind to feature a Black African girl with Down syndrome as a central animated character.

We’re honoured to bring Ugo and Sim Sim to Annecy. This isn’t just a story, it’s a movement, said Faloughi-Ekezie. Representation in children’s media matters deeply, especially for children with disabilities and families who rarely see themselves reflected on screen.

Blending elements of African storytelling with themes such as inclusion, independence, and imagination, the Ugo and Sim Sim series has found an audience in picture book format, with over 5,000 copies sold in Nigeria. Now adapted for the screen, the series has begun to attract attention for its portrayal of a Black African family and its exploration of neurodiversity.

In collaboration with the French Embassy in Nigeria and supported by Animation Nigeria, the animated series is being showcased as part of the Annecy MIFA Pitches, an elite platform spotlighting emerging animation projects with strong creative and cultural impact.

The project’s momentum is further powered by the involvement of Executive Producer Renard Jenkins, President and CEO of I2A2 Technologies, Studios & Labs. Jenkins is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning media and technology executive whose celebrated career spans Warner Bros., PBS, TV One, ESPN, and more.

Jenkins brings unmatched industry insight to the project. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Vice President of the Hollywood Professional Association, and serves on the board of Exceptional Minds, a non-profit academy for artists with autism pursuing careers in animation and digital arts.

This story has heart, vision, and global relevance, said Jenkins. Ugo and Sim Sim breaks boundaries not just in animation, but in representation, and it’s an honour to help bring that to life.

With a robust group of established intended partners that include: Adobe, Asteria Films, Chocolate City, SMIDS Animation, Lucan TV, Exceptional Minds, Kugali Media and VX Animation. 

This selection marks a significant moment for African animation and global disability representation in media. Ugo and Sim Sim are proudly rooted in Nigerian culture, produced by a woman-led creative team, and powered by a mission to reshape how children with disabilities, especially Black and African children, are seen, celebrated, and supported.

Faloughi-Ekezie is the founder of Simone’s Oasis, a foundation that uses storytelling, advocacy, and the arts to transform perceptions of neurodiversity. Through books, music, podcasts, and now animation, she champions the rights of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Africa and the diaspora.

Credit: Illustrated artwork by Chiamaka Barbara Chukwu from the soon-to-be-released children’s book “I Don’t Like The Happy Birthday Song.” By Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie, published by Tanja, an imprint of Ouida Books.

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