Zambezia (film)

Zambezia
South African theatrical release film poster South African theatrical release film poster
Directed by	Wayne Thornley
Produced by	Mike Buckland Stuart Forrest James Middleton Anthony Silverston
Written by	Andrew Cook Raffaella Delle Donne Anthony Silverston Wayne Thornley
Starring	Jeremy Suarez Abigail Breslin Jeff Goldblum Leonard Nimoy Samuel L. Jackson
Music by	Bruce Retief
Cinematography	Wayne Thornley
Edited by	Michel Smit Paul Speirs Luke MacKay
Production company	Triggerfish Animation Studios
Distributed by	Cinema Management Group (International) Sony Pictures Entertainment (English territories)
Release dates	July 3, 2012
Running time	83 minutes
Country	South Africa
Language	English
Budget	R173 million ($20 million)
Box office	$34.4 million

Zambezia (also known as Adventures in Zambezia) is a 2012 English-language South African 3D computer-animated family comedy-drama fantasy action-adventure film, which was theatrically released on July 3, 2012. The film tells the story of a young peregrine falcon who leaves the desolate desert where he lives with his father to discover action and adventure in the big city of Zambezia.

The film was directed by Wayne Thornley, and written by Andrew Cook, Raffaella Delle Donne, and Anthony Silverston. It is the first film produced by Triggerfish Animation Studios and distributed by Cinema Management Group and Sony Pictures in English territories. This film stars the voices of Jeremy Suarez, Abigail Breslin, Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, and Samuel L. Jackson with supporting roles done by David Shaughnessy, Richard E. Grant, Jenifer Lewis, Tania Gunadi, Jim Cummings, and Jamal Mixon. This was Nimoy's last animated feature film before his death in 2015.

Zambezia earned $34.4 million on a R173 million ($20 million) budget. It received Annie Award nominations for Music in an Animated Feature Production and for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production. The film won the Best South African Feature Film at the Durban International Film Festival in 2012. It also won Best Animation at the South African Film and Television Awards and Best Animation at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards.

Plot

Kai is a naive, but high-spirited young Peregrine falcon who lives with his father Tendai. After a visit from Gogo and Tini, Kai travels to "Zambezia," a bustling bird city on the edge of the majestic Victoria Falls where he discovers the truth about his origins and learns how to be part of the community. While learning of his father's past, Kai ends up having to work with the Hurricanes to protect Zambezia from the evil rock monitor Budzo who has persuaded the Marabous (who have been left out of the development of Zambezia) to help him with his invasion.

Cast

• Jeremy Suarez as Kai the Peregrine Falcon
• Abigail Breslin as Zoe the Black-winged Kite
• Jeff Goldblum as Ajax the Lammergeier
• Leonard Nimoy as Chief Sekhuru the African Fish Eagle
• Samuel L. Jackson as Tendai the Peregrine Falcon
• Richard E. Grant as Cecil the Marabou Stork
• Jenifer Lewis as Gogo the Saddle-billed stork
• Jim Cummings as Budzo the Rock Monitor, Marabou
• Jamal Mixon as Ezee the Nightjar
• David Shaughnessy as Morton the Marabou Stork
• Frank Welker as Sill the Marabou Stork
• Noureen DeWulf as Pavi the African Sacred Ibis
• Tania Gunadi as Tini the Weaver bird
• Deep Roy as Mushana the Green Pigeon
• Phil LaMarr as African Grey Parrot Announcer, Dodo the Guineafowl
• Corey Burton as Neville the Lilian's Lovebird
• Tress MacNeille as Neville the Lilian's Lovebird's wife
• Tom Kenny as Marabous
• Sam Riegel as Hurricanes Birds of prey
• Lee Duru as Nurse Bird
• Zolani Mahola as Weaver
• Nik Rabinowitz as Hurricanes Birds of prey, Gondo the Black Eagle
• Keeno Lee Hector as Hurricanes Birds of prey
• Wayne Thornley as Marabou
• Kelly Stables as Gossip Bird 1
• Kristen Rutherford as Gossip Bird 2
• Jon Olson as Marabous
• Brent Palmer as Marabou

Production

On September 9, 2005, Triggerfish Animation Studios announced that Wayne Thornley was hired and set to direct and write Zambezia (also known as Adventures in Zambezia) based on a story by Andrew Cook, Raffaella Delle Donne and Anthony Silverston. Mike Buckland, Stuart Forrest and James Middleton produced the film with the budget of R173 million ($20 million) for release in 2012. On 7 November 2007, it was announced that Jeremy Suarez, Abigail Breslin, Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy, Samuel L. Jackson, Richard E. Grant, Jenifer Lewis, Jim Cummings, Jamal Mixon, David Shaughnessy, Frank Welker, Noureen DeWulf, Tania Gunadi, Deep Roy, Phil LaMarr, Corey Burton, Tress MacNeille, Tom Kenny, Sam Riegel, Lee Duru, Zolani Mahola, Nik Rabinowitz, Keeno Lee Hector, Wayne Thornley, Kelly Stables, Kristen Rutherford, Jon Olson and Brent Palmer joined the film. On 27 December 2009, it was announced that Bruce Retief would compose the music for the film. On March 9, 2010, development, animation and storyboarding of the film was completed in Cape Town, South Africa. On April 19, 2011, Cinema Management Group and Sony Pictures in English territories acquired distribution rights to the film.

Music

The film’s score was composed by Bruce Retief. The soundtrack also contains “Get Up” performed by Zolani Mahola, “Say Hello to Zambezia” performed by Gang of Instrumentals, “Out of Mist” performed by Ludovic Mampuya and “Easy Easy” performed by Gang of Instrumentals.

Release

Zambezia was theatrically released on July 3, 2012 by Cinema Management Group and Sony Pictures Entertainment in English territories and was released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 24, 2013 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Accolades

The film won the Best South African Feature Film at the Durban International Film Festival in 2012. It also won Best Animation at the South African Film and Television Awards and Best Animation at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards.

Award	Category	Recipient	Result
Annie Awards	Music in an Animated Feature Production	Bruce Retief	Nominated
	Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production	Jim Cummings
Africa Movie Academy Awards	Best Animation	Wayne Thornley	Won

Soundtrack

Adventures in Zambezia (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released	September 20, 2013
Recorded	2012
Genre	Film soundtrack
Length	36:19
Label	Triggerfish
Producer	Bruce Retief
Singles from Adventures in Zambezia (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
"Get Up" "Say Hello to Zambezia" "Out of Mist" "Easy Easy"

The original motion picture soundtrack for the film was written, composed and produced by Bruce Retief, which was released on September 20, 2013 through Triggerfish in digital download. It includes fourteen tracks, with music from Retief as the film's score composer, and studio performances from various artists, including Gang of Instrumentals, Zolani Mahola (who also provided the voice of a weaver in the film), and Ludovic Mampuya. It is available on iTunes and on Amazon.

Track listing

All music written and composed by Bruce Retief, except where noted.

No.	Title	Performer(s)	Length
1.	"Get Up"	Zolani Mahola	3:38
2.	"Bandits"		1:18
3.	"High Speed Air Chase"		1:56
4.	"The Gorge"		4:32
5.	"Cecil's Lament"		3:00
6.	"Flying to Zambezia"		3:06
7.	"Say Hello to Zambezia"	Gang of Instrumentals	2:30
8.	"Zambezia Theme Variations"		1:18
9.	"Hurricane Trials"		2:36
10.	"Lizards on Zambezia"		2:40
11.	"Fight on the Bridge"		3:04
12.	"Budzo's End"		1:12
13.	"Out of Mist"	Ludovic Mampuya	3:19
14.	"Easy Easy"	Gang of Instrumentals	2:10
Total length:			36:19

External links

• Official website
• Zambezia at IMDb
• Zambezia at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Zambezia at Rotten Tomatoes