WILD COAST WARRIORS
Key Characters and Crew
Nonhle Mbuthuma
Main Character
Nonhle Mbuthuma (Associate Producer) is a famous human rights activist, the spokesperson for the Amadiba Crisis Committee, tenaciously fighting for her land and its environmental rights, resisting the exploitation of their territory. She helped found the Amadiba Crisis Committee to unite villages of the Amadiba Traditional Community in opposition to mining projects undertaken without consultation with those affected. After the assassination of her friend and fellow activist, she said: “I wake up each morning and thank God I am still alive,” after being told she was on a hit list. “I know I am a target. My husband, my family and my friends are worried. They tell me to go into hiding. But I can’t do that. It’s not me. I choose this road.”
Sinegugu Zukulu
Main Character
Sinegugu Zukulu (Associate Producer) is the Director of Sustaining the Wild Coast. He was the first applicant in the Shell case, is an inspiring champion of rural conservation, tirelessly promoting sustainable development that benefits rural people. His goal to protect Pondoland’s biodiversity and culture for future generations has been going for at least 21 years. He’s a trailblazer in conservation, ecotourism and environmental management, working in youth upskilling whilst guarding the unique biodiversity and ecosystems.
Siyabonga Ndovela
Main Character
Siyabonga Ndovela (Associate Producer) is a true amaMpondo living the authentic life of his ancestors, a friendly custodian of nature and the oceans, universally loved and respected. He is another leader within the Amadiba Crisis Committee. His grandparents brought him up well and taught him all about his culture and helping his community. He single-handedly chased away assassins with a spear at night after they’d sprayed bullets into his family homestead. He’s a farmer, fisherman, knowledgeable ecotourist guide & stalwart community leader.
Tembeka Ngcukaitobi
Senior Advocate for the amaMpondo
Minor characters: Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, a dynamic, brilliant South African senior advocate, conducts a withering attack on Shell. He’s a compelling and persuasive public speaker, an authority on land rights, an author, and a political activist. In representing the Wild Coast and expertly winning the second court case, he carries the hopes of the amaMpondo on his broad shoulders to safeguard their cultural heritage from Shell;
Other minor characters: Mashona Wetu Dlamini, a Xolobeni elder leader & fisherman; marine scientists Drs Judy & Bruce Mann; attorneys Cormac Cullinan, Ricky Stone (both from Cullinan & Associates); Wilmien Wicomb (Legal Resource Centre); Pooven Moodley (ex-director of Natural Justice); Katherine Robinson (Head of Strategic Planning and Communications); Thandile Chinyavanhu (Spokesperson for Greenpeace Africa) Marguerite Hofmeyer & Frank Solomon (Sentinel Ocean Alliance).
CONCEPTS AND THEMES: We are passionate about giving unheard indigenous people a voice as the true conservators of their natural world. While lawyers for Pondoland argue Shell didn’t consult these communities, or obtain proper environmental authorisation and would cause irreparable harm to marine life, we cut to the Wild Coast to invite global viewers to meet these people and judge for themselves. We see the amaMpondo's lived experience, maintaining responsible stewardship of ancestral lands and sacred seas, a symbiotic relationship that supports flourishing land and marine biodiversity, counterpointed with Shell’s capitalist arguments.
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The Team
Nick Chevallier Director and Producer
After obtaining a degree in journalism and media at Rhodes University studies, I have been a producer, director, and cinematographer of socio-environmental documentaries for the past 30 years. 20 years ago I produced a documentary called “The Wild Coast….a fragile Paradise” in which I explored the natural beauty and rich natural resource base of this unique coastline. 20 years down the track and now is the perfect opportunity through this “Wild Coast Warriors” film to incorporate these globally relevant themes. Previous clients have included BBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Animal Planet, and local South African television broadcasting platforms. Other clients have been a diverse number of NGOs and academic institutions. A common theme in many productions has been the undermining motivation of creating awareness, shifting perceptions/attitudes, and actually making a difference
Leigh Wood Director and Co-Editor:
Leigh Wood has over 15 years of experience in directing, filming and editing documentries. Leigh created and produced the youth segment “It’s Up to Us” on South Africa’s longest-running environmental television program 50/50. Passionate about storytelling that serves as a catalyst for positive change, most often related to content in Africa that concerns environment, indigenous communities, human health, nutrition, medical injustice, gender-based violence, community upliftment, youth empowerment and education. A seeker of truth that can be brought to light for the greater good.
Guido Zanghi, Co-director, Senior Editor:
He is an Italian filmmaker, and editor based in London. Having attended prestigious film schools such as Tisch School of the Arts (NYU) & London Film Academy, while also completing an MA in Ethnographic Documentary Film at UCL (London), Guido has worked on many short films and documentaries, developing his own unique style with a penchant for drama and irony, while remaining well rooted in a desire to address and question societal issues. He is the recipient of the LFA Emerging Filmmaker of the Year Award 2021. His most recent works include a short version of Save the Wild Coast (2022), a short documentary Deserters (2023), a short WW1 drama, and a behind-the-scenes documentary of Pentaclub (2023).
Warren Smart, Director of Photography:
Warren was Topside Cinematographer on the Oscar winning 'My Octopus Teacher' (2021). Warren loves to interpret a basic concept into an eloquent dance between the camera and subject, to sculpt an emotional response in the audience.
With 10 years experience filming across Africa, Warren is most proud of the projects that have affected change for good. The bulk of his work has been around sustainability, conservation and inspiration and he enjoys working in wild and remote areas
Gary Janks, Executive Producer:
Retired teacher, with a career spanning 35 years. For the last 9 years, he’s been a Producer / Director and founder / Director of Contemporary Film Productions Ltd. His previous film, Chasing Mandelaʼs Rainbow (2019), was selected for 37 international film festivals, it won 7 awards / nominations, including Best Documentary, Cinema At The Edge, L.A., USA. TV broadcasts include UR (Sweden), Deutsche Welle - international single run in 4 languages (Germany), ShortsTV (USA), France Télévisions and e.tv (South Africa)
Katherine Robinson, Co-Producer:
Katherine joined Natural Justice in September 2021 as Head of Campaigns and Communications. Her work advances strategic campaigning, communications and media relations on the continent and globally to support NJ’s litigation and legal empowerment in solidarity with and for local communities, activists and defenders we work with. Katherine has a Bachelor of Journalism from the University currently known as Rhodes, and certification in business and human rights law, and global LGBTQ+ rights. Katherine has worked in both regional and International NGOs for ten years, on policy, advocacy, campaigning and media work to advance gender, economic and climate justice, LGBTQ+ rights, South-feminist alternatives, youth leadership and Palestinian solidarity.
OUR PARTNERS
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