Ani Wa Sa

Ani Wa Sa is set in DR Congo’s Garamba National Park which is globally recognized as ground zero in Africa’s poaching wars. Fewer than 1,200 elephants remain.

Two brothers who come from a line of central African Zande hunters, seek to protect their local forest from seemingly opposing avenues: one through family tradition and the other as part of a national park ranger team. Though their relationship has fractured, an advancing rebel group seeking to poach and traffick elephant ivory poses a mutual threat and the brothers may need each other to protect the people and wildlife of their homeland for generations to come. 

Ani Wa Sa is being used in an innovative on-the-ground mobile cinema initiative to help build bridges of trust and collaboration between central African communities, conservation actors, and humanitarians, in an effort to improve the safety and build the resilience of people and wildlife in this fragile and interdependent ecosystem.

As of March 31, 2020, Invisible Children has screened Ani Wa Sa in 67 communities in northeastern DRC and eastern Central African Republic (CAR), reaching 27,450 people. 

This project is part of the USAID-funded Community Resilience in Central Africa (CRCA) Activity, an Invisible Children project made possible by the support of the American people.

Directed by
Lindsay Branham and Andrew Ellis

Cast

Jean EDMOND GAMBOLIPAY
Benjamin FREDDY ANITUMBA
Jean’s wife MARIE MILALI
Benjamin’s wife PELAGIE NINAGU
Ranger supervisor PAYSA LAVIE
Francois IGNACE BAVUNGALA
Young Benjamin ZAMBADE JERMAINE
Young Jean DANAMBA MIHIDIE
Radio operator LYCIE LAUNA
Funeral extra ANNA MARIE MIZELE
Jean’s son ZEPHANE MBOLITINE

Garamba National Park Rangers (as themselves)
Naomi Ruago
Claver Binza
Levi Tanduba
Faustin Anigule
Richard Payigo
Jules Tandromba
Jean Paul Tandema
Christome Agare
Jean Paul Mbolifuko
Jean Faustin Mulolani
Salomon Malitano

A NOVO FILM

Assistant Director
Patrick Ken Kalala

Executive Produced by
Invisible Children

Written by
Lindsay Branham. Andrew Michael Ellis

Story Consultants
Ryan Patch, Dieubeni Mboliangba, Lisa Dougan

Story based on focus group interviews conducted by Invisible Children, SAIPED, African Parks and Harvard Humanitarian Initiative in Central Africa.

Cinematography by
Andrew Michael Ellis

Edited by
Benjamin Stamper

Produced by
Lindsay Branham, Anna Marie Pitman

Producer for Invisible Children
Lisa Dougan

Production Coordinator
Bachir So

Line Producer
Dieubeni Mboliangba

Production Supervisor
Peter Philippot

Assistant Camera
Jacob Blumberg

2nd Camera Assistant
Orphe Zaza Bamoy

Production Photography
Nathan Garcia

Location Sound
Jonathan Seale

Translator
Fidele Kinayogu

Additional Translation
Gregoire Balantie

Original Music
Jonathan Seale

Zande Original Music
Li Gby Gbele Azande Traditional Music Club

Zande Musicians
Sanderina Animbwe, Monica Sungufwe, Martin Joice, Christina Mangba, Emmanuel Manga, Isaac Iliso, John Bafuko, Patrick Migbialungo, Antony Daputa

Additional Composition by
David Racanelli and Jeremy McDonald

Sound Design and Mix
Nocturnal Sound

Filmed on location in Garamba National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo.
African Parks has managed Garamba in partnership with the ICCN since 2005.

Cast: Lindsay Branham, Andrew Michael Ellis, Ben Stamper and Anna Marie Pitman

Tags: conservation