'A hair adventure you won't forget is here': 1000 Hugs films presents a coming-of-age story about hair

1000 Hugs films presents the coming-of-age story of a little girl named Rapulani, with a magical afro.  

This little girl built an imaginary world as a safe space to express strength, wit, and character amid grieving her mother's passing.

Little Rapulani is a confident, energetic and spunky little girl with big messy hair that she dearly loves. No one can control Rapulani's hair except her late mother.

Rapilana's hair is very demanding. It does not fit nicely into her swimming cap.

She also struggles to find a good place to sit in public since her hair blocks everyone's view.

This ultimate girl with the magical afro, Rapulani is created by filmmaker and Director Yolanda Mogatusi.

Read: 'The strength of your own voice': How 'Wanda the Brave' is encouraging young girls to own their identity

The Gamification of Rapz

Besides the book, 1000 Hugs films also created a game for young girls based on the animated character of Rapulani.

This game 'Rapz' is about a young girl who is forced to endure great obstacles and a gauntlet of an adventure with her magic hair.

Mogatusi has written and directed several films, including Hair that Moves released in 2014, Rumba in the Jungle – The Return, released in 2018 and Thula Thula, a Netflix/ NFVF Micro-Budget film released in 2021.

She says that Rapulani is a collaboration of various artists and at least 4 independent black-owned media companies and animation studios.

Mogatusi says that it has been an enormous task putting this book together. But she believes that each person, artist, or editor that has worked on this project added their own mark on it.

1000 Hugs films teamed up with Dipopaai to bring colours, texture and incredible animation to this book.

Over two years, the team created what would grow into an animation brand, an animated book, animated game Rapz! with Alkamaize and Rapulani merchandise for kids.

Watch the trailer below.

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