When it comes to the story itself, Liyana is a fairly familiar coming-of-age fable about a sister saving her brothers. The kids telling the story are charming, the lead goes on a classic hero’s tale, and the animation is adequate. However, Liyana is more of a hybrid between children’s story and documentary, and that’s where the film shines. As the kids tell their tale, the film reveals the country-wide issues affecting the formerly named Swaziland that could have inspired Liyana’s journey, such as the HIV/AIDs virus, poverty, and hunger. It’s an interesting approach, as the storytelling creatively transforms their pasts into art without revealing the pain they might have actually gone through. Liyana tells their own tale in a sweet, understanding manner.
"As tough as the subject matter may get at times, the film is guaranteed to be an uplifting one for viewers of all ages, with its emphasis placed on the joy of its subjects, whether it be in their everyday life or in the midst of their creative process."
— Matt Fagerholm
"A film for enterprising, discussion-inclined parents and teachers to share with their own young ones, passing the story on in the process."
— Guy Lodge
A talented group of orphaned children in Swaziland create a fictional heroine and send her on a dangerous quest.
Five orphaned children in Eswatini, with the guidance of activist Gcina Mhlope, dive into their imaginations to create an original story. In their tale, a young girl named Liyana sets out on a quest to save her twin brothers from their kidnappers.
It’s interesting what they choose to keep in the story and what they choose to remove. I’m struck at how easy it is for them to talk about Liyana’s parents having HIV/AIDs, but at how the kids keep Liyana from eating the bull even as she’s very hungry.
This is why storytelling is important.
