South Africa’s Animated Epic DAVID Aims for Global Screens This Christmas

DAVID: Sunrise Animation Studios

South Africa’s Sunrise Animation Studios and Angel Studios release DAVID on December 19, 2025 — a biblical animated musical blending global production scale with local ambition.

From Cape Town to the World —

David Readies for December Launch

Sunrise Animation Studios, based in Noordhoek, Cape Town, is set to release the animated musical feature David on 19 December 2025, a cinematic retelling of the biblical story of the shepherd-boy turned king.

Far from a small domestic project, David is built with ambition: the production enlisted a global crew, with over 400 artists working across countries, and involved established talent.

What You Need to Know

• Release date: 19 December 2025 (cinemas in South Africa and internationally)

• Studios & Producers: Sunrise Animation Studios (Cape Town) in partnership with US-based distributors — co-produced by Tim Keller, Jacqui Cunningham, Rita Mbanga, and others.

• Why it matters: It could redefine what it means to export films from Africa — not as niche content, but as globally competitive animation.

FSA Take

David isn’t just another animated Bible tale. It’s Sunrise Animation Studios’ bold signal to the world: African animation studios can aim for the same peaks as global studios — and sometimes, shoot even higher.