Resumen

Our research investigates the pedagogical and aesthetic dimensions involved in the creation of images in African and Afro-diasporic animated films, focusing on the representation of Black bodies, costumes, the construction of spaces, and the narratives that compose these visual universes. African and Afro-diasporic traditions are strongly sustained by oral practices, but also by an important imagetic foundation, in which images function as repositories of knowledge, memory, and ancestral practices. The study adopts the epistemology of the crossroads as its theoretical-methodological framework, understood as a conceptual operator that privileges the encounter between knowledges, circularity, and the movement across different cultural perspectives. The research articulates theoretical analysis and action research. Methodologically, it involves: (1) a bibliographic survey and mapping of African and Afro-diasporic animated films; and (2) the organization of film screenings and discussion circles in public schools, aiming to understand children’s and adolescents’ perceptions regarding the construction of Black characters in animation. The results point to advances in discussions on ethnic-racial issues within schools, while also revealing the persistence of racial stigmas in the school environment, especially those related to kinky hair and Afro-Brazilian religions. We observed that initiatives such as the Àwòrán Project contribute to expanding students’ critical development, strengthening Black identities, and supporting the implementation of Law 11.645/2008 in Brazil. Thus, the study seeks to deepen the concept of Black Animation Cinema, highlighting its potential as a tool for anti-racist education and for the reconstruction of collective imaginaries.