Jennifer Steyn Movies
Destiny brings together a young lion and a young man in this drama from South African filmmaker Michael Swan. According to the legends of the Shangaan people of Africa, white lions are sacred creatures favored by the gods, and they're seen so rarely in the wild that when one is discovered, a Shangaan will be assigned to protect it. When a white lion cub is born near a Shangaan village, the other animals aren't sure what to make of the creature; the young lion named Letsatsi is rejected by its pride and must strike out on its own. Gisani (Thabo Malema), a Shangaan tribesman, learns that the white lion has left the wilds near his village and he follows Letsatsi to make sure the animal is safe and protect it from predators. An older lion named Nkulu makes friends with Letsatsi and shows the younger cat how to survive in the wild; meanwhile, Gisani takes a job as a hunting guide to support himself while staying in the wilds and keeping an eye on Letsatsi. However, when Nkulu is shot to death by a farmer and Letsatsi is targeted by one of Gisani's clients, the young warrior must take dramatic action to save the sacred lion. White Lion received its North American premiere at the 2010 Seattle International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Kani, Thabo Malema, (more)
Carroll Ballard, director of The Black Stallion and Never Cry Wolf, presents another story of an unusual relationship between humans and animals in this drama. Xan (Alexander Michaletos) is a young boy who lives with his father and mother (Campbell Scott and Hope Davis) on a ranch in Kenya. One day, Xan and his folks discover a cheetah cub whose mother has died. With no one to care for the cat, Xan and his family take the cheetah under their wing, and after naming the cub "Dooms" (from "Duma," which means "male cheetah cub" in Swahili), Xan and his new friend become inseparable. However, Xan and his parents discover in time that nature doesn't always have a happy ending planned for a little boy. Duma was based on a book for children called How It Was With Dooms: A True Story From Africa, by Carol Cawthra Hopcraft and Xan Hopcraft, which told the story of Xan's real-life friendship with a cheetah. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Alexander Michaletos, Eamonn Walker, (more)
A gory post-apartheid horror film concerning the resurrection of a dead general amidst the backdrop of modern South Africa, writer/director Kenneth Kaplan's longtime-in-the-making directorial debut finds the familiar vampire theme heading into new territories. As the last South African born with untainted Aryan blood, Fanus (Carl Beukes) unknowingly holds the key to giving life to the dead. As his mother, Gertrude (Aletta Bezuidenhout), and the nefarious Eugene (Danny Keogh) plot to utilize the potent plasma in reviving Fanus' super-racist father, the dysfunctional family's dark past comes to the forefront and the red stuff begins to flow in abundance. Utilizing the gruesome influence of Herschell Gordon Lewis combined with the dark social satire of George A. Romero, Kaplan's dark commentary on the human condition in South Africa is intended to deconstruct the mindset that let apartheid flourish while providing audiences with release through use of dark humor. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Carl Beukes, Danny Keogh, (more)
- 1994
- R
While on a special assignment to Africa to photograph an endangered bird, a wildlife photographer runs into a dashing experienced stranger. Though she is engaged to her publisher, the photographer embarks upon a wild night of passion with the stranger, unaware that in so doing, she is about to become a pawn in an international struggle involving a list of the world's greatest assassins. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eric Roberts, Jeff Fahey, (more)
- 1990
- R
While in Africa, a pregnant American (Jenilee Harrison) is cursed by a village witch doctor (Dumi Shongwe) after interrupting a tribal ceremony. Soon after, she is visited by a sea-demon who terrorizes her friends. The film, which shares little with the others in the series, was originally titled Panga. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- 1990
- R
In this thriller a Chicago policeman grows suspicious after his daughter does not return from a modeling assignment on a Caribbean island. He flies out to find her and finds himself in some rather strange situations. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kris Kristofferson, Jeffrey Meek, (more)
