Yahoo Movies Maya Penn Makes Directorial Debut With Environmental Animated Short ‘Asali’; Viola Davis & Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions Executive Producing
Maya Penn, the 22-year old award-winning animator, environmental activist and multi-hyphenate, has set her first directing project: the animated short film Asali: Power of The Pollinators. The short is an original project from Penn’s purpose-driven animation studio Upenndo! Productions and is set to be executive produced by Viola Davis, Julius Tennon and their JuVee Productions.
Asali: Power of The Pollinators is an animated action-adventure short that follows a colorful group of pollinators and an environmental scientist as they unravel a trail of secrets to discover if they can save their home from a monstrous and deadly force.
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“I’ve been animating since I started making flip books when I was 4 years old, and my passion for both art and activism goes deep,” Penn said. “Asali embodies that combined passion in an action-packed and colorful story.”
Penn made history when she was commissioned to create an animated film for the opening of the first ever digital report presented to the U.S. Congress to get an American Museum of Women’s History built in Washington. By the age of 16 she received a commendation from President Barack Obama for outstanding achievement in environmental stewardship.
Penn is certified in Circular Economies and Sustainable Business by Cambridge Business School and teaches biomimetic design. She was chosen by Oprah Winfrey as her youngest Supersoul 100 changemaker.
“We at JuVee have seen the way Maya is passionately ushering in a new generation of authentic and engaged storytelling, using unique animated projects like Asali as a vehicle that pushes culture forward,“ says Rob Williams, SVP Theatrical Motion Picture at JuVee Productions.
Distribution for the short film has not been set. Penn is working to expand the IP into series, books, games and other categories.
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