NYWIFT Blog

By Tammy Reese

At the 25th Anniversary of the Tribeca Festival, the Shorts Program curated by Whoopi Goldberg delivered a powerful lineup of animated storytelling that continues to expand the boundaries of the medium. One of the standout selections, APART, made its world premiere at Spring Studios, offering audiences a deeply emotional lens into apartheid-era South Africa through the eyes of two young boys whose friendship is tested by a divided world.

Still from Apart (courtesy of Tribeca Festival)

The screening was followed by an in-person conversation featuring writer Spike Lee and director Pola Maneli, offering audiences rare insight into the film’s creative and historical foundation.

APART tells the story of two young boys growing up in apartheid South Africa. Their bond begins as an innocent friendship, but quickly becomes entangled in the brutal social systems designed to keep them divided.

As the story unfolds, a life-saving act forces both boys to confront the harsh realities of the world around them — where fear, hate, and enforced separation challenge the innocence of childhood connection. Through their journey, the film captures a fragile but persistent thread of hope: that empathy can exist even in systems built to suppress it.

Written by Spike Lee, Tim Jones, Jeff Leisawitz, and Lubabalo Mtati, and directed by Pola Maneli, the film blends historical truth with emotional storytelling to create a layered and visually striking experience.

Still from Apart (courtesy of Tribeca Festival)

The film is brought to life by a deeply collaborative international team with strong cultural ties to South Africa.

• Music Supervision: Grammy-winning South African artist Black Coffee shapes the sonic landscape of the film
• Fashion Design: Laduma Ngxokolo crafts isiXhosa-inspired wardrobe designs rooted in cultural identity
• Visual Direction: Pola Maneli brings a signature artistic style centered on Black lived experience

Together, the creative team builds a world that feels both historically grounded and visually poetic — where every detail reinforces the emotional stakes of the narrative.

One of the most remarkable aspects of APART is its ambitious approach to animation.

The film combines four distinct techniques:

• Traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation
• Cut-out animation
• 3D animation
• 2.5D compositing

In total:

• 18,000 total frames
• 600 days of production
• 266 professionals involved
• 14 software tools used

This included 157 animation artists and 50 art department professionals spanning production design, storyboarding, concept art, and motion design.

The result is a layered visual language that reflects both technical precision and emotional storytelling.

NYWIFT Members LaKisa Renee (left) and Tammy Reese with Spike Lee at Tribeca 2026

APART incorporates two distinct animation styles, including a visual approach inspired by Pola Maneli’s artistic language — work that centers Black identity and lived experience in South Africa. His artwork has been exhibited internationally, including at major cultural institutions.

A second influence draws from woodcut print traditions used during the anti-apartheid movement, when artists used reproducible print methods to bypass censorship and document resistance between 1948 and 1994.

The filmmakers also emphasize that the entire production was created by human artists, with no AI used in the making of the film — reinforcing the importance of authorship and craft.

Representing New York Women in Film & Television, Tammy Reese and LaKisa Renee covered the APART red carpet at Tribeca Festival, capturing interviews and behind-the-scenes moments from the world premiere.

LaKisa Renee conducted an exclusive red carpet interview with writer Spike Lee, highlighting his creative involvement in the project and the film’s cultural significance.

Tammy Reese interviewed director Pola Maneli, diving into the visual storytelling, historical inspiration, and animation process behind APART.

Together, their coverage offered a dual perspective on the film — bridging both the creative writing and directorial vision that brought the project to life.

APART stands as a striking example of how animation can function as historical reflection, emotional testimony, and artistic resistance. Through its layered techniques, culturally grounded design, and powerful narrative focus, the film invites audiences into a deeply human story shaped by division — but anchored in connection.

At Tribeca’s 25th anniversary celebration, it emerged as one of the shorts that lingers — quietly, powerfully, and long after the screen goes dark.