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The sequel of the 2002 hit
movie, Tomb Raider, uses Kenya as shoot
locale. Kenya's
reputation as the ultimate adventure destination
has been strengthened by the arrival of Angelina
Jolie and the crew of Tomb Raider: The Cradle
of Life, who are currently using the spectacular
landscapes and wildlife of Kenya as the backdrop
for Lara Croft's latest
adventure. Angelina and her adopted son
Maddox are both based in Kenya for the duration of
the shoot. She and the crew of the major Hollywood
production have been shooting action sequences in
beautiful Hell's Gate National Park. This is a
popular location for film production, and the
massive volcanic cliffs and towers have appeared in
many other movies including the early production of
King Solomon's Mines and the historical epic
Mountains of the Moon. Shooting Will later move to
Amboseli National Park, home to some of Africa's
largest elephant herds and stunning views of Mt
Kilimanjaro. Tomb Raider 2: The Cradle
of Life is a sequel to the 2000 hit movie based
on the extremely popular Eidos Video Game. The new
film is directed by Dutch director Jan de Bont
(Speed, Twister)- taking over from Simon West- and
sees Academy Award Winner Angelina Jolie reprising
her role as Lara Croft, globe trotting
archaeologist and treasure hunter. The new film
also stars African actor Djimon Honsou- the star of
Amistaad and Gladiator. Kenya has long been a
popular destination for film-makers, with the
readily accessible wildlife, spectacular landscapes
and traditional cultures making this the perfect
cinematic setting for a range of productions
including the Academy Award winning Out of Africa,
the real life murder mystery White Mischief and
more recently To Walk with Lions, the biopic of
famed conservationist George Adamson. Recently, the
successful staging of the hit CBS series Survivor
Africa has helped renew interest in filmmaking in
Kenya. Tomb Raider 2:
Cradle of Life will be released worldwide July 25,
2003. Kenya showcased in Best
Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy
Awards. There was Oscar
Glory for Kenya on Sunday March 23rd with the
announcement of the winner of this year's Academy
Award for 'Best Foreign Language Film'- "Nowhere
in Africa". This critically acclaimed German
film was shot on location in Kenya, showcasing our
wonderful landscapes and celebrating our rich
cultural heritage. Since its release in
Europe, the film has won over 14 international
awards at film festivals around the globe including
an impressive haul at the 2002 German Film Awards-
where it won 5 Awards, including Best Film and Best
Director. The film is a moving account
of a Jewish family forced to flee their homeland by
the rise of the Nazis in 1938. The screenplay was
based on an autobiographical novel written by
Stefanie Zweig, who wrote of her childhood
experiences of Kenya. The story appealed greatly to
Academy Award winning Director Caroline Link, who
adapted the book for the screen. Link felt that it was
important that the film was shot in Kenya, which
she considered an important part of the story,
because "the details have to be true…the
people tell much about the country and lend a sense
of place to the film". When she brought her crew to
Kenya, the spectacular landscapes immediately won
her over. "The expanse, the variety of
nature…the landscape changes enormously,
ranging from voluptuously green coffee and tea
plantations and forests, to arid savannahs, from
rolling hills, to the gigantic Rift
Valley" With such a wide and varied
canvas to work on, she chose her locations
carefully, intentionally avoiding the better-known
tourist areas and taking her cast and crew to more
remote areas, including the arid Bogoria Reserve,
Lake Baringo and the high fertile hills around
Nyeri and Nyahururu. The result is a film with a
uniquely Kenyan character that may seem unfamiliar
even to frequent visitors to the country. The film
avoids the romantic clichés of colonial era
dramas and big game adventure stories. The film's
real sense of character emerges from its refusal to
treat Kenyans as just part of the backdrop, and
integrating them into the story as real
characters. Link was very impressed by
the Kenyan people, "When we first visited, there
had been a drought for three years…yet, in
spite of everything, the people were so friendly,
laughing, giggling. Such joy of life!" This same
joy is evident throughout Nowhere in Africa. She
worked closely with the local people on each of her
locations, and took great care to present their
cultural traditions accurately. The film contains
footage of traditional Pokot rituals, as well as a
traditional Kikuyu rain making sacrifice under a
Mugumo tree in the shadow of Mt Kenya. The film shows that with
both time and respect, cultures can coexist, learn
from each other, and be changed forever. This is
the legacy of Kenya's rich culture and Nowhere in
Africa celebrates both Kenya and Kenyans.
The film is already screening
throughout Europe and the USA. Check your local
press for more details and play times. This site is sponsored
by the
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