Sunday, May 19, 2013

SPOTLIGHT ON DELIGHTFUL NEW ANIMATED FILM "KHUMBA" FROM TRIGGERFISH STUDIOS WITH LIAM NEESON, LAURENCE FISHBURNE, STEVE BUSCEMI! PLUS HOLLYWOOD SPY EXCLUSIVE TALK WITH 'KHUMBA' DIRECTOR ANTHONY SILVERSTON!

It’s not all black and white for this zebra… he’s going to have to earn his stripes! Now, tell me that isn't just about the cutest line for an animated character! The amazing and deeply creative guys from Triggerfish, the brilliant masterminds of animation from the studio also known as South African Pixar, are ready to bring us another animated adventure after the brilliant success they've scored with their previous film ZAMBEZIA (the highest grossing South African film in last 30 years) which followed a delightful bunch of African birds. This time the talented Triggerfish team is bringing us KHUMBA a half-striped zebra who, rejected by his superstitious herd, embarks on a daring quest to earn his stripes; but when he discovers a tyrannical leopard on his trail, he must find the courage and self-acceptance to save all the animals of the Great Karoo. 

  THE STORY OF KHUMBA
A ZEBRA ADVENTURE
A half-striped zebra is born into an insular, isolated herd obsessed with stripes. Rumours that the strange foal is cursed spread and, before long, he is blamed for the drought that sets into the Great Karoo. Life is not all black and white for Khumba, a young zebra born with only half his stripes so he teams up with a sassy wildebeest and a flamboyant ostrich to find the legendary waterhole where the first zebras got their stripes. On his daring quest across the Great Karoo desert, Khumba meets a host of quirky characters and comes face-to-face with a tyrannical leopard in an epic battle to earn his stripes. 
   
  THE CAST OF KHUMBA
LIAM NEESON & LAURENCE FISHBURNE
Directed by brilliant Anthony Silverston, whom we know as the man who wrote and produced Triggerfish's ZAMBEZIA, animated adventure KHUMBA has quite a stellar voice cast. Included in the star studded gallery are Liam Neeson as the villainous leopard Phango,  Anna Sophia Robb as Tombi Khumba's female friend, Steve Buscemi as colourful vagabond Skalk, Laurence Fishburne as Seko Khumba's father, British comedian Catherine Tate as Nora, Richard  E. Grant as the charming ostrich, Loretta Devine as Mama V, and Disney Channel's superstar Jake T. Austin who lends his voice to the title character, the brave zebra! The $20 million film is being presented
at Cannes and will hit the big screens around the world later during the year.

  EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
 ANTHONY SILVERSTON THE 'KHUMBA' DIRECTOR
Before he flew over to Cannes earlier this week, talented director and an ever so kind and deeply charming gent, Anthony Silverston shared a chat with your HOLLYWOOD SPY.

  DEZZ: ANTHONY, TELL US WHERE DID YOU FIND THE IDEA FOR KHUMBA.
ANTHONY: The project begun at a script competition which we won,  and then we continued working on it off and on while working on ZAMBEZIA. Pre-production started end of October 2009 and I haven't stopped since. The inspiration
for the story came from a combination of places, one being the fact there is actually a half-striped zebra known as a Quagga and it is being bred back from extinction in Cape Town. Maybe it was the scientist in me, but the idea fascinated me. It raised a theme of identity - what makes a zebra a zebra? Or as one character in the movie asks, how many stripes make a zebra? I think anyone can relate to a feeling of being different or at least wanting to fit in. There are many themes which the film touches on – all inspired by growing up in South Africa, but ultimately it’s a personal journey about learning to be comfortable in one’s own skin.

  DEZZ: THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOVELY MESSAGE FOR THE VIEWERS OF THE FILM. WAS IT DIFFICULT MAKING THE FILM?
ANTHONY:  Being a quest movie, there were many different sets and with over 40 characters (17 different species) so it was quite a challenge, but it's been an incredible journey of growth making this film and the talented team at Triggerfish all stepped up and surpassed their work on Zambezia.

DEZZ: I HEAR YOU ARE WORKING ON SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING AS A NEW PROJECT, ANTHONY! CAN YOU GIVE SOME SCOOP TO THE SPY?

ANTHONY: We are exploring a number of options for our next feature including a sequel for Zambezia, but we have also been
developing our most ambitious story yet! It is set in a fishing village on the coast of Southern Africa and it features a sea monster.

  DEZZ: THAT SOUNDS INTRIGUING, ANTHONY! THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW AND BEST OF LUCK WITH ALL OF THE AMAZING PROJECTS DOWN AT THE TRIGGERFISH WONDERLAND! 



26 comments:

  1. AAAAAAHHHHHH Steve Buscemi what a blast from the past. He came to Wilmywood many moons ago and got into a knife fight at a local bar. My hubby had the misfortune of being on call and had to sew him up. If you look close you can see his handiwork on the side of Steve's face. That sucker never did pay his bill.

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    1. now, aren't you full of juicy gossips, sweet sister :)

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    2. Actually my hubby was pretty excited when they brought him into the ER because Steve has a face you will NEVAH forget. Hubby kept saying, "It's the Con Air dude, it's the Con Air dude"!!!!

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    3. sounds like he had a day to remember!

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  2. Very sweet interview Dezz, and I like the theme of both animated films, especially the theme of identity. I struggle with identity myself every day, living as a "multi-cultural" person. Whenever someone asks me "Where are you from?" and I know they mean what city or state, but for me it opens a world of anxiety! LOL! How much do they want to know? Not much I have found. I think I need to see Khumba.

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    1. I fully understand you, Myri, it's the same for me, since neither my mother nor father were of the nationality which is dominant in my country, so I also never really knew if I have the "stripes" like the others and whether I belong to the zebra herd or not :)
      I think you will enjoy KHUMBA greatly, the guys from Triggerfish are such a delightfully talented bunch!

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  3. Great interview darling. I do like that this is based on something in true life. I had no idea that there was a project to save a species that is near extinction. And the message in the film is a good one. As someone who is different and sticks out like a sore thumb in her environment, I can relate to this.

    And let me say this LIAM NEESON nom nom nom.

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    1. you usually find the best of stories around you, in the real life, Anne :) Hope the film will make Quagga super popular raising more money for the problem.

      Nom on the om :)

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    2. The pics you posted of this are wonderful darling:)

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    3. they are lovely, aren't they, so much love put into the drawings and animation

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  4. Nice interview! Khumba sounds like it has a great message. I also come from a multi-cultural background and at times wonder about my stripes too, lol. And a project about sea monsters?! Yes Please! :D

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    1. glad you liked the interview with brilliant Anthony, Elise! And thanks for joining our stripeless zebra herd here :)

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  5. The zebra stripes can be metaphor for many things ~ Thanks for the update and interview feature Dezzy ~ The message is meaningful and wow on the work that goes behind the movie ~

    Have a good weekend ~

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    1. glad you liked the message and the metaphors, Grace!

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  6. I love Khumba movie, sounds lovely!
    and how are you dear Dezzy?

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    1. glad you like it, Gloria.
      Hope you are nice and well in Chile!

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  7. Great interview Dezzy and Anthony.

    .......dhole

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  8. It looks interesting enough but I'd prefer to watch it in 2D.

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    1. I'm guessing they will be playing it in both ways

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  9. What fun. And if anyone can pull off a villainous leopard it's Liam.
    How are you, Dez?

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  10. Terrific interview!! I love it when you have these spotlights and interviews, you bring the films closer to us in a way that I don't get from magazines and other sites.

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    1. thank you, dear, that is a lovely compliment!

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  11. Animals. More animals? Good scoop though. :p

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