A Namibian film in the making...
There are many reasons why Namibia is a filmmaker’s playground, but one of the most fundamental is the amazing natural sets that can be found, not only in the astonishing rural areas, but also in the cities and towns spread across the country. The feature film CamelThorns aims to portray exactly that. Inspired by films such as ‘Thelma and Louise’, CamelThorns tells the story of two girls on the run after they decide to escape from the troubled lives they left behind.
This unique Namibia tour sees the characters Marie and Jessica start out in the country's capital, Windhoek. The girls then travel down south through the wonderfully surreal and alluring wide-open spaces and vast deserts to Swakopmund, a town at the coast with rugged Atlantic Ocean beaches. From here their adventure continues, travelling up north passing Volcanic Mountains and encountering Namibia’s contrasting cultures as well as Wildlife in its natural habitat. The characters also travel through Etosha, one of the biggest least-known National game parks in the world. Here they spend a night in a luxurious lodge.
CamelThorns captivates the audience with its themes of friendship, love, trust and unity. The characters Marie and Jessica are both in their early 20s and, like so many young people across the world, find it hard to choose their path in life. The journey of the girls begins with an illegal drug bust with the drama then escalating as they decide to go on the run, accidentally killing a man on the road. Marie and Jessica, unhappy with where their lives are heading, take this opportunity to plan an escape out of Namibia, with Europe as their final destination in mind. The journey is not an easy one; the girls encounter many obstacles, their ultimate bond of friendship is pushed to the limits and their lives are frequently put at risk.
The idea of CamelThorns was created by G.T.Detering (Director, Producer, Writer) and Nicole Davidow (Lead Actress and Producer) who had talked about making a film together in high school, portraying Namibia’s beauty while at the same time delivering a highly dramatic and entertaining performance. A teaser for this upcoming feature film has already been produced and shot, with an all Namibian cast and crew. This short film aims to serve as a fundraiser for the feature film and has so far received immense local and international recognition, winning a Merritt award at the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood and Best Film of the night at the Short Cut monthly film night in Melbourne, Australia. It has also been selected for screening at the International Film Festival of South Africa in November 2010 and at the Swansea Bay Film festival in Wales, founded by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
G.T. Detering and Nicole Davidow aim to create a feature film, which matches an international standard. Their goal is to make the film with local filmmakersand cast and crew, providing an opportunity to project the film on the big screen, as well as showcasing Namibia as a film location.
For more information on CamelThorns - the movie visit: www.camelthornsthemovie.com.
