South African director and illustrator Pola Maneli is making international headlines as his 17-minute animated short film, Apart, positions itself among the leading contenders for the 2027 Academy Awards. According to Nelson Mandela University, The Hollywood Reporter listed the film among its top four predictions for Best Animated Short in September 2026, putting Maneli’s distinct artistic vision on the global stage.
Co-written by celebrated American filmmaker Spike Lee, screenwriter Jeff Leisawitz, and executive creative directors Lubabalo Mtati and Tim Jones, Apart explores complex dynamics. It focuses on friendship, loss, and prejudice. The story follows two young boys, Themba and Joel, whose bond develops across the racial divide in apartheid South Africa. The project also features notable South African creative input. This includes wardrobe design by Laduma Ngxokolo of the MaXhosa range and music supervision by globally renowned DJ and producer Black Coffee, with an original score by Jamute.
From Illustration to Directorial Debut
Maneli graduated from Nelson Mandela University with an MA in Fine and Studio Arts in 2019. He initially joined the project to handle character design and art direction. This role suited his extensive background in editorial illustration for clients like The New York Times and Netflix. Production companies initially envisioned Spike Lee in the director’s chair. However, scheduling conflicts with Lee’s crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest, starring Denzel Washington, opened the door for Maneli to step up.
“Spike seemed keen for me to step up and put my fingerprint on it, and with my background of being a South African and in the visual arts, there was a lot of trust there and so they asked me to direct it,” Maneli shared in interviews regarding the transition.
Festival Success and Unique Visual Style
The film officially qualified for Oscar consideration after winning the coveted Best in Show award at the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Film Festival in Los Angeles in July 2026. This followed its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in June, where curator Whoopi Goldberg notably selected the film.
Visually, Apart draws inspiration from the Medu Arts Ensemble. This group was a South African collective of cultural workers who produced anti-apartheid propaganda posters during the 1970s and 1980s. By blending digital techniques with a woodcut print aesthetic, Maneli’s artistic choices ground the narrative in authentic South African historical and emotional landscapes.
Key Creative Personnel Behind Apart
- Director: Pola Maneli
- Writers: Spike Lee, Jeff Leisawitz, Lubabalo Mtati, Tim Jones
- Wardrobe Design: Laduma Ngxokolo
- Music Supervision: Black Coffee
- Animation Production: Colossal (João Machado and Diogo Gameiro)
As awards season momentum builds toward the 2027 Academy Awards, Apart stands as a powerful cross-continental collaboration. It blends American storytelling expertise with deeply personal South African perspectives on history and reconciliation.
