Ebele Okoye (who  goes by the artist’s name “Omenka Ulonka”) knew at the tender age of 7 that she wanted to be a “story teller who makes images move” but neither did she know that this was called ‘Animation’, nor were there any possibilities of learning this in her country Nigeria in those days.

In the year 2000, more than two decades later, she moved to Germany to pursue a post graduate program in African Studies at the University of Cologne. Followed by a design-study stint at the University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf and a traineeship at the West German Broadcasting Corporation, WDR, she finally enrolled for Animation at the International Film School (ifs) Cologne.

Upon graduation in 2004, she worked as a studio animator before going independent with own films as well as International Co-productions, one of which is the German-Bulgarian co-production “Anna
Blume”, winner of the 2007 Robert Bosch Foundation Promotional Prize for Animation as well as the Ritter Prize at the 2010 Zebra Poetry Film Festival Berlin, amongst others.

A two-time winner of the Africa Movie Academy Awards in the category Animation, her 28 minutes short “The Legacy of Rubies” (2015) inspired by an African folk tale, has won many prizes including the best Animation at the prestigious Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) same year.

Ebele’s works, in their diversity always touch across different social niches, themes and culture. For instance: in 2016, her ‘very short short’ “The Man who fell up” from own poem of same title
premiered at the DOK Leipzig under “New German Animations”. Later in 2018, the same film was chosen to represent Nigeria at 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth games film screenings.

Over the years, she has evolved internationally as an active voice in animation and poetry film circles
working as Jury and selection committee member in festivals and programs like the Zebra Poetry Film Festival, Berlin/Muenster, Poetry Film Prize Weimar, Chitrakatha Students’ Animation Festival, Ahmedabad, Madagassy Talent Film Residencey Berlin, Interfilm Festival amongst others.

Ebele Okoye, referred to many as “The mother of African Animation” says she is very passionate about imparting Animation knowledge, and pursues this teaching and giving workshops in different constellations which include The Bauhaus University, Weimar, Zanzibar International film festival, OpenToonz Animation Lab. Additionally, The Animation Club Africa, and Shrinkfish Media Lab (SmedLAB) both of which she founded in 2009 and 2013 respectively.

In January 2019, she started animating in virtual reality.

The multi-disciplinary artist who resides in Berlin since 2008 is also a seasoned Painter, Web & UI designer, Branding & Word press expert. She also is the founder of the intersectional, gender neut and climate awareness labels Olomenka®, Kalodei Berlin® and Efulefu® respectively.

Filmography

2020:“Lange innere Kampf” | Commissioned by the German Aids Help 4min. 2D Animation (Script writer/ Animator / Director)

2020:“LGBTQ social Workers” | Commissioned by the German Aids Help3.15min. 2D Animation (Script writer/ Animator / Director)

2020:“Dancing in the Street” by Martha and the Vandellas | Commissioned by Universal Music2:44 min. 2D Animation (Script writer/ Animator / Director)2020:

“Oil Promises” (Germany) 90min. Documentary (Co-director / Animator / Commentator

2017:
Marcas de amor (Germany /Spain) 3:00 min. 2D | Writer/ Animator / Director/ Producer

2016:
The Man who fell up (Germany) 2:00 min. 2D | Writer/ Animator / Director / Producer

2015:
“Red Fruits” (Germany /Austria ) 04:00 min. 2D, Music video | Writer/ Animator / Director / Producer)

2015:
The Legacy of Rubies (Germany /Nigeria / USA) 28 min. 2D | Writer/ Animator / Director / Producer

2014:
Die Liebe in den Zeiten der EU (Germany) 2D | Director / Co-producer)

2013:
Closer N’ Closer (Nigeria/Germany) 06:00 min. Music video, 2D | Animator / Director / Co-Producer

2012:
Meine Heimat “My Homeland” (Nigeria / Germany) 05:00 min. 2D/3D | Animator / Director/ Co-producer

2011:
Footy My Love (Nigeria / Germany / Denmark) 07:00 Min, 2D Video Art | Writer/ Animator / Director / Producer

2010:
The Essence (Nigeria /Germany) 05:30 min. ,2D | Animator / Director / Producer

2009:
Anna Blume (Germany / Bulgaria) 09 mins. 2D | Writer/ Animator / Director / Producer

2009:
Patterns (Nigeria /Germany ) 10 mins. 2D | Writer/ Animator / Director/ Producer

2008:
Papermouse (Germany ) 2,5 min. 2D | CoWriter / Animator / CoDirector / Producer

2007:
Die Verrückte ‘The Lunatic’ (Germany ) 5 min. 2D | Animator / Director / Producer

Some Awards for own productions

2015:
Best Animation, Africa Movie Academy Awrads AMAA | Film “The Legacy of Rubies”
Over 8 other awards by same film “The Legacy of Rubies”

2011:
Redefreiheit (Amnesty International) Outstanding Media Work in Human Rights Issues | Film “Patterns”

2011:
Certificate of Special Recognition of outstanding service: United States Congress | Film: “The Essence”

2011:
Focus features Africa First Programe | Production & Distribution award for the film “The Legacy of Rubies”

2010:
Certificate of Special Recognition of outstanding service: California State Legislature, United States of America | Film: “The Essence”

2010:
Best African Diaspora Animation: ANIMAFRIK Animation Festival Accra Ghana | Film: “The Essence”

2010:
Best Experimental Animation. ANIMAFRIK Animation Festival Accra Ghana | Film: “Patterns”

2010: Ritter Sports Prize, ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival, Berlin

2010:
Most Outstanding Animation: Animae Caribe Animation & Media Festival Trinidad | Film “The Essence”

2010:
Best Animation Film: Silicon Valley African Film Festival | Film: “The Essence”

2007:
Robert Bosch Foundation Promotional Prize for Animation | Project: “Anna Blume” Germany/Bulgaria
Over 12 festival prizes won by the same film “Anna Blume“

2006:
DEFA Stiftung research prize for Animation | Project: “Feet Voters” Germany/Estonia

2008:
Honorable Mention/Animation: African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) | Film “The Lunatic

2008:
Audience Prize: Made for Mobile Awards Cologne | Film “Papermouse”

Some Documentationen in Digital and Print media, include:

Deutsche Welle TV: “Der Tag mit Jens Olesen”

RBB Fernsehe “Mit der U-Bahn drch die Welt”

Deutsche Welle TV: “Insight Germany“

Deutsche Welle TV “Kultur 21 / Arts 21”

Deutschland Radio Kultur

Die Tageszeitung (taz)

Sächsische Zeitung

Kölner Stadt Anzeiger

Die Welt Kompakt

Poetry Film Magazine Weimar

Zeitgenossische Kunst in Nigeria und Ghana. Friedrich Reinhardt Verlag Basel, Sammlung Alfred Spinnler

Heinrich Böll Stiftung

CEO World Biz magazine

Globalia, Frauenmuseum Bonn

International Business Times Magazine

Cartoons 2; A world history book of Animation

Animatoon Animation Magazine

Nigerianbrands Magazine

The Guardian

The Punch

Weekly Times