Nayola

José Miguel Ribeiro

Beautiful animation about three generations of women affected by the Angolan civil war. At the height of the war, Nayola is looking for her missing husband. Sixteen years later, her daughter Yara has to miss both her mother and father. Living with her grandmother Lelena, they receive a mysterious guest.  
 
In the forceful magic realist animation Nayola, different eras intertwine. During the decades-long Angolan civil war, young Nayola makes the impossible decision to leave her 2-year-old daughter to go looking for her husband Ekumbi, who is missing in action. It sets her on a long and winding trail, where she encounters danger and violence, but also beauty and many colourful people.  
 
Sixteen years later the war is over, but the scars remain. Nayola’s daughter Yara lives with her grandmother Lelena. She channels her anger into militant rap music, which attracts the attention of the authorities. One day, a stranger in a jackal’s mask breaks into Lelena’s house. The visit connects past and present, and powerfully shows that war has damaging effects long after it is over. 

Credits

Director
José Miguel Ribeiro
Year
2022
Country of production
Portugal, Netherlands, The, Belgium, France
Type
Animation, Fiction
Duration
83 minutes
Spoken language
Portuguese
Subtitles
NL
Production company
Praça Filmes
World Sales
Urban Distribution International
Dutch distributor
Periscoop Film