Rise Interactive Studios’ AI-themed feature film Makemation will screen at two universities in March as part of international academic events.
The first stop for the film will be at the Harvard University Centre for African Studies during Harvard Worldwide Week on March 4, 2026, which will include a lightning talk on artificial intelligence innovation in Africa, a screening of the film, and a panel discussion with its executive producer, Dr Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, an alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School.
The Harvard screening follows Rise Interactive Studios’ 2025 partnership with the Centre for African Societies and Economies, where the studio served as lead local partner for the launch of the Afrobeats Inaugural Policy Report in Lagos.
Two days later, on March 6, Makemation will screen at King’s College London as the Closing Keynote Event of Africa Week 2026. Hosted by the African Leadership Centre in the School of Global Affairs, the event will be held at Bush House, Strand Campus. The theme for this year’s Africa Week is “Resourcing African Agency: Priorities, Innovation and Preparedness in a Multipolar World.”
“We are demonstrating that cinematic intellectual property is a forward-looking educational tool,” Akerele-Ogunsiji said, adding that the screenings are leveraging cinematic intellectual property (IP) to simplify complex technologies and influence global perceptions of African innovation.
The London screening marks the film’s UK academic debut, coming after earlier international showcases, including a screening at Microsoft Research Lab in New York during AfricaNext@UNGA on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
Directed by Michael Akinrogunde, Makemation tells the story of 17-year-old Zara Sodangi (Tomi Ojo), who uses AI to build an affordable diagnostic health tool with a focus on STEM education, ethical leadership and problem-solving among young people. It features technology concepts such as AI4TraffickKontrol, Cerebral BCI and SheDetectIt Bra.
Makemation has also been presented at the Global AI Summit in Saudi Arabia, Kenya Innovation Week and the UNDP Marketplace. It previously had a four-week theatrical run in Nigerian cinemas, premiering in April 2025.
According to Rise Interactive Studios, the film is also positioned as a licensed educational resource aimed at encouraging interest in STEM and entrepreneurship.
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