Minasie Terefe is an animation director and co-founder of Behagerlij Studio, Ethiopia’s premier animation studio. With more than a decade in the field, he is known for directing award-winning shorts including Zarem Arbegna and Endegena, which have screened internationally.

In 2026, Terefe made African history at the Annecy Festival MIFA Pitches with a double win for his preschool animated series Sunday Morning, taking both the Disney and AGrAF Prizes. He currently leads the creative vision for original IPs while helping grow Ethiopia’s animation ecosystem.

At SACC, Terefe will share insights from Africa and the Arab world’s evolving animation landscape, as well as the creative and production leap from short films to series and features.