'Liyana' Is the Documentary Utilizing Animation to Portray the Stories of Five Orphaned Children in Swaziland

The trailer for Liyana, a new part animation, part documentary film, that tells the personal narratives of five orphaned children growing up in Swaziland, has been released.

Created by Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp andproduced by British-Zimbabwean actress Thandie Newton, the film has garnered much critical acclaim and has earned 26 festival awards, reports Shadow and Act.

The innovative film also features animation by Nigerian artist Shofela Coker and is scored bySouth African composer Philip Miller.

Here is the film's official synopsis via Shadow and Act:

Under the guidance of acclaimed South African storyteller, Gcina Mhlophe, five orphaned children from Swaziland collaborate to craft a collective fairytale drawn from their darkest memories and brightest dreams. Their fictional character, Liyana, is brought to life in innovative animated artwork as she embarks on a perilous quest to rescue her young twin brothers. The children's real and imagined worlds begin to converge, and they must choose what kind of story they will tell - in fiction and in their own lives.

The film will make its debut at Maysles Documentary Center in New York on Oct 10, with dates in other major cities soon to follow.

For now you can check out the trailer for Liyana below.