Producer’s Statement:

Since my early years I was interested in two interconnected themes, the wellness of people and the environment. These have become the focus of my professional and personal life. In 2009 I decided to make a career change and move from marketing and communications to film-making, with a vision to create engaging high quality films that inspire, connect and make a long-lasting impact. My film projects are motivated by my wish to make a positive social and environmental difference.

The idea to make Sisters of the Wilderness is the outcome of a long personal journey. On this journey I met extraordinary people, many of them women who undertake incredible challenges to protect wild nature and nurture a love and appreciation of the natural world; using immersive nature experiences to bring people closer to nature and to each other.

Between 2010 and 2015 I developed and wrote the screenplay for a narrative feature film inspired by the book ‘Zulu Wilderness: Shadow and Soul’ by South Africa’s much loved legendary conservationist, the late Dr Ian Player. I saw in ‘Zulu Wilderness’ a vehicle to tell a timeless story in the light of the devastating poaching of rhinos, elephants and other precious species, the deteriorating state of the planet, our growing disconnection from nature and the prevalence of racial intolerance.

It is through Ian Player and Baba Magqubu Ntombela’s friendship story that I have learned about the immense value of wilderness for all humanity. Wilderness and especially the African wilderness, is an unrecognised gift that very few know of and appreciate, let alone make use of. If we would only learn how to pause and listen to the wilderness we would regain vitality, love of life and all creation; and a uniting creative force to make things better and draw more light into our life and the lives of others.

Sadly a year after the passing of Dr Player in November 2014 my option for the film rights expired and couldn’t be renewed. Nonetheless I was keen to continue with my vision and find a different story that will carry the same messages and themes. This is how the Sisters of the Wilderness idea was born.

Sisters of the Wilderness is dedicated to the memory of Magqubu Ntombela and Ian Player whose, “…remarkable friendship which grew in the wild is a shining example of the spirit of the people of this country [South Africa]…” (as was written by Nelson Mandela in the forward to Dr Player’s book).

I hope that the spirit of Dr Player and Baba Magqubu; and the Sisters of the Wilderness film will empower growing numbers of individuals worldwide who aspire to make a positive impact to the lives of people and all living things on the planet. 

Biography:

Ronit’s career spans more than twenty years in marketing, communications, event production and project management. Ronit headed global marketing and branding projects in both public and private organizations and had her own event and marketing consultancy, which focused on initiatives relating to the wellbeing of people and the environment. In 2011 Ronit founded One Nature Films with a vision to create high quality social impact films. She is a self-taught filmmaker and gained experience as an independent producer, executive producer, researcher, screenwriter and director whilst working on the adaption of the book ‘Zulu Wilderness: Shadow and Soul’ by Dr Ian Player into a narrative feature film. The Sisters of the Wilderness documentary and social impact project is a natural progression from ‘Zulu Wilderness’ and carries similar themes and messages. It is also set in the same location in KwaZulu-Natal.

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 part of the world and starting my career in wildlife documentaries I understand the trailblazing nature that the women wilderness guides in the film 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. After a research shoot in December 2016, I felt there was a strong film here. It combines so many aspects of my career focus over the years, the nature element, indigenous people and this time set in the area I grew up in. 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 into the wilderness and through them with the world, in the form of a film.

Biography:

Karin Slater’s deep interest in rural life and nature has led her to documenting the lives of interesting people and places across the globe. From working with the Dagomba people in Ghana to the Shipibo people in the Amazon. Amongst other things, she has also raised leopards, a lioness and tigers while working making wildlife documentaries. Her films have screened at Sundance, Berlinale, Hot Docs, Museum of Modern Art, New York and she has won numerous awards including the Trailblazer Award for innovative and creative work in the field of documentaries at Mipdoc, Cannes 2008 and at the New York Film and Television Awards in 2016.

Biography:

Zurich based, Anja Bombelli, has a vast experience of film editing, spanning several decades. She edited more than 50 documentaries over the past thirty years. She is also an editing consultant and teacher.

Biography:

Ian Arber is on the “ones to watch” list for 2019.  He’s already begun working with Rupert and Harry Gregson-Williams on several projects for 2019, as well as shows on his own for later in the year.

In 2018, he completed the score for the theatrical release horror-thriller Redcon-1, series 2 of Netflix’s Medici-Masters of Florence: The Magnificent (broadcast early 2019), Sky’s Urban Myths: The Trial of Joan Collins, and Fulwell 73’s Hitsville: The Story of Motown and the surprise hit feature doc about the band, Bros, called After The Screaming Stops which he scored with fellow SMA Talent composer and member of Blur, David Rowntree. 

Ian also scored the multi-award winning social impact documentary Sisters of the Wilderness which won Best South African Feature Documentary at Durban International Film Festival 2018 and qualified for an Oscar consideration. The score was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.

With over 30 films in the bag, Ian’s big break came in 2015 assisting composer Joe Kraemer on his score for Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Shortly after this, he scored the coming-of-age feature film Scott and Sid directed by Scott Elliot, which had a theatrical release across the UK. With a growing portfolio of work across a variety of genres, he is bringing a fresh and unique compositional style to each project.   

Biography:

Kenneth C. Whitney is the founding member of WSB Capital, a private investment office formed in 2013 to make investments ln startup companies and entertainment projects. On the entertainment side he has made three investments to date; Fun Home, which won the Tony Award for Best New Musical in 2015, Tommy's Honor, which won the BAFTA Scotland award for Best Feature Film in 2016, and American, a short film starring George Takel about the Japanese internment camps, which is currently being shown at film festivals around the country. Mr. Whltney was previously a Senior Managing Director and Head of Business Development at Blackstone from 1988 to 2013, where he was a member of the Executive Committee and Investment Committees for all of its private investment funds. Prior to joining Blackstone, he worked at Coopers & Lybrand, today Price Waterhouse Coopers, from 1980to 1988.

Mr. Whitney currently sits on the Board of Directors of PJT Partners, the Board of Trustees for the University of Delaware where he also chairs the Investment Committee for the University's endowment, and is a National Trustee of The First Tee and Chair of the Board of The First Tee of Metropolitan New York. At the University, he has established the Whitney Family Scholarship, the Whitney Family Chair in Accounting, and just recently made the lead gift for the building of the new athletic center. Mr. Whitney graduated from the University of Delaware with a BS in Accounting in 1980 and played on the golf team.

Biography:

Elizabeth Reiko Kubota Whitney (Liz) is a former actress whose career focused initially on musical theatre and whose resume includes roles in many popular television shows of the 1980s, such as MacGyver and T.J. Hooker. Liz was also a cast member of the acclaimed 1982 Mark Taper Forum production of August 6th, 1945, about the bombing of Hiroshima. She was also the ingénue in the #1 music video of 1984, John Waite’s “Missing You”.

A 1980 theatre graduate of the former UCLA College of Fine Arts (now the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television), Liz has long been a champion of UCLA TFT. In 2010 she, in honour of her late sister Jeanne, established the Jeanne Michiko Kubota Fund. The endowed fund provides full four-year scholarships for deserving undergraduate theatre students in need, covering tuition, room, board and other expenses. It is the first of its kind at UCLA TFT.

Liz moved from California to New York in 1987 to play the female lead opposite Jack Wagner in a new musical, “Butterfly”. She performed in several shows, including the revival of “Godspell” at The Lambs Theatre. She currently lives in Scarsdale, NY with her husband Ken. Liz and Ken have three daughters, a son-in-law, and two granddaughters ages three and one. She serves on the Executive Board of Trustees for UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television. 

Biography:

Antonia is an Emerging Markets investor having worked for a UK pension fund for over a decade. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant from KPMG in 2004 in South Africa and moved to London with a job at Credit Suisse in 2005. Whilst working, she re-trained as a Transpersonal Psychotherapist, and con-currently worked as a volunteer for the NHS for the last 6 years whilst still in her job. She is currently taking time out to complete her psychiatric observational placement at Bethlem Royal Hospital and to complete her training as an Executive Coach with ILM.

She is deeply passionate about balance and lives under the philosophy of Ubuntu. She is a truth seeker, an intuitive type and lives from the heart. She is a follower of Vipassana meditation and Yoga, and when she is not reading, visiting art galleries, or travelling, can be found seeking out nature, and experiences both above and below the water. She has developed and held workshops on ‘intuition and how to make better decisions’ with one of her favourite quotes being ‘may your head be in service to your heart’ coupled with ‘where your heart is breaking, that’s where your service lies’, Anodea Judith.