Set in the iMfolozi wilderness, South Africa, in the oldest game park in Africa, Sisters of the Wilderness tells the story of five young Zulu women from underprivileged backgrounds going into the wilderness for the first time in their lives on a self-discovery journey, which offers them an opportunity to grow and heal, and serves as a reminder that we are intimately linked to nature and what we do to her we do to ourselves. The film also explores the plight of the primordial iMfolozi wilderness which is severely threatened by open-cast coal mining on its border, and the dire rhino poaching, in this park, which is now the epicentre of South Africa’s rhino poaching activity, with the highest rates of poaching in more than a century.
Film Specifications
- Documentary Feature
- 1 hour 30 Minutes
- South Africa
- Filmed: South Africa
- Languages: English
- Awards: Durban International Film Festival (Best South African Feature Documentary Film), International Innovation Film Festival (Best Feature Documentary)
- Screening Date – Fri, Jun 7, 2019
- Time – 8:30 pm
- Location – AMC Empire 25 Times Square
Director Karin Slater
Karin Slater was awarded with the prestigious Trailblazer Award at MIPDOC Cannes 2008. An award given to five filmmakers around the world doing creative and innovative work in documentaries. She also received the Best South African Documentary Award at the 2008 Durban International Film Festival and the 2008 Apollo Film Festival for her film 50 Years! Of Love? Her documentary Kenya’s Water Women received an award in the social category at the New York Film and Television Awards April 2016.
Her first recognition came in 1989 when she received the ‘Best Student Director Award’ while studying at Technikon Natal, South Africa. She went on learning her trade in the wilds of Africa raising and filming big cats for Londolozi Productions. In 2000 her film for National Geographic, ‘Animal Powers’ won four Avanti awards including Best Director.
‘Meaning of the Buffalo’ in 2004 premiered at Sundance Film Festival (where it was in the festivals ‘Top 10 Must See Films’). It also screened at Berlin Film Festival, Hot Docs, Museum of Modern Art, New York and was selected as a New York Times Critics Pick in 2004.
Other productions include ‘From Nkoko… with Love’ (2005 FESPACO, Encounters Film Festivals) about traditional paths to womanhood, ‘Scars’ (2005, DIFF, Copenhagen, London) a film about girl gang violence, Prenessa and the Dolphins (2006 DIFF) Laxmi’s Blessings (2008 Encounters Film Festival) Through Different Eyes (2010) A Table for Two (Encounters Film Festival /DIFF 2014) Little By Little (2015 Ford Foundation) and Brazil One in Three (2015 Al Jazeera).
Director’s Statement
Born in Empangeni, and spending my early years near Nyalazi River, a stone’s throw from iMfolozi Game Reserve, I have a deep love and connection to this area. Also being the first woman cinematographer in this world and starting my career in wildlife documentaries I understand the trailblazing nature that these women went through, to break into the male dominated world of wildlife conservation.
So when Ronit Shapiro approached me to work with her on her idea to make this film, it felt right to say yes. It combines so many aspects of my career focus over the years, the nature element, indigenous people and this time includes the area I grew up in all in one film. I also really like the social impact strand that goes with the film. I know what wilderness has done for me over the years and it would be wonderful to share this with the five young women who go on the trail and through them with the world in the form of a film.
Film Credits
- Karen Slater, Director
- Ronit Shapiro, Writer
- Ronit Shapiro, Producer
