Liyana

Liyana is one of those rare films that you can't put your finger on because is it a cartoon, live action, a documentary, a fictional story, is it meant for kids, or adults, do I laugh, or cry... And it is everything, and so much more. Set in the beautiful country of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), the orphaned children build and transform their story of Liyana in ways the imagination and those with deep, challenging lives only can. The cinematoghraphy, the animations, the storytelling, and the precious, amazing children all make it a must see film.

This documentary shows how the power of storytelling and imagination can change the lives of many. I believe we are all natural born storytellers. The filmmakers did a great job giving a stronger voice to the protagonists of this story. I was captivated by the combination of real life events and the beautiful animations representing their fears and illusions.

This is a movie that is compelling and beautifully done. As a skilled storyteller works with orphaned children that have survived trauma in Swaziland, they create a story of Liyana as the heroine. Her journey matches many of the experiences that the children have already survived and you can almost feel their resilience growing as they create their own ending. The illustrations are beautiful and are interspersed with the documentary part of the film. And all is woven together with some beautiful music.

The combination of animation with real people as actors is powerful and effective. I was lucky to have experienced this transporting work of art during the Miami Film Festival--rich, rich, rich, in so many ways. A mind-bending combination of talents at work here. Cutting-edge without trying to be; the whole production feels defined by a palpable honesty. Impressive.

Fabulous cinematography and animation. Inspiring story.