ScreenDaily.com – 10th September, 2011

CMG, Triggerfish lure Samuel Jackson, Jeff Goldblum to Zambezia
By Jeremy Kay

Samuel L Jackson, Jeff Goldblum, Abigail Breslin and Leonard Nimoy have joined the voice cast of Triggerfish Animation Studios and Cinema Management Group’s (CMG) 3D film Zambezia.

Richard E Grant, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Lewis and Jeremy Suarez are also on board the project, billed as South Africa’s first 3D animated feature and currently in production in Cape Town.

The story follows an ambitious young falcon who must rally to defend his sanctuary community on the edge of the Zambezi waterfalls in Africa.

Wayne Thornley is directing from a screenplay by Andrew Cook, Anthony Silverston and Raffaella Delle Donne. Greg Becker and Claire Becker of Wonderful Works serve as executive producers with Mace Neufeld and CMG head Edward Noeltner.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have these amazingly talented actors give life to our colorfully animated bird characters in Zambezia,” said Edward Noeltner, whose CMG is handling international sales. “They certainly add a vibrant emotional richness to the film as well as many laugh out loud moments.”

CMG has sold the film in more than 25 territories and licensed rights in Cannes to Bloomage in South Korea, Praessens in Switzerland, Film House in Israel, Blancica in Venezuela and Pictureworks in India.

Noeltner is also handling sales on Triggerfish Animation Studios’ 3D animated feature Khumba, currently in production in Cape Town.

On the edge of an enormous waterfall, in the heart of Africa, lies the bird city of Zambezia. Famous for its impregnable defenses against egg predators, it has become the breeding sanctuary for birds from throughout the river valley. With half of its massive Baobab shell gone, Zambezia City is the ultimate tree house, humming with birds on every level, from its roots at the base, to the platforms high in the leafy tops. Aero, a young Taita Falcon from a remote outpost, is the protagonist of the story. He dreams of flying on the prestigious River Watch. When Aero’s father is captured by the treacherous Marabous, he is forced to abandon his outpost and flee to Zambezia. However, Aero soon finds himself at the centre of a deadly plot concocted by the Marabous – who have joined forces with giant, egg-eating lizards – to overthrow Zambezia and return things back to “every bird for himself”. If Aero is to save Zambezia, he will have to learn that not all battles are won with fast and fancy flying. Set in the spectacular Zambezi River Valley, the film draws on this unique natural environment as its inspiration – an inspiration which can be seen in the beautiful, quintessentially African elements of the film.