DURBAN - Film maker Leon Schuster's latest offering touches on the effects of rhino poaching, which has led to the killing of thousands of rhinos in recent years.
Schuster said his latest offering, Frank and Fearless, painted the picture of the emotional reality rhinos face in a comic fashion.
“I am very sensitive about what is happening to these rhinos. I have been taken to places and rhino organisations, I felt the pain seeing a rhino that was alive after it’s horn has been cut, it absolutely gruesome and terrible,” he said on Tuesday.
“It’s one of the cruelest sights on earth that a beautiful creature that God created can suffer like that. This is what inspired us to raise awareness. We were looking for an African movie with an African theme and we looked at what lies closer to the heart of people in South Africa," said Schuster.
Frank and Fearless will go live cinemas around the country on Friday and features prominent actors including Kenneth Nkosi, Khanyi Mbau and Themba Ntuli.
“If we could get one poacher to swing around, we would have succeeded. The main thing about this movie it’s specifically targeted at kids, it’s a lekker family movie. We are raising awareness with children, they will take the word out there, stop rhino poaching,” he said.
Schuster who was in Durban alongside Ntuli and his director, Gray Hofmeyr, could not stop raving about the talent of the cast.
“Themba Ntuli is such a great person, his heart is bigger then himself and he brings something to the screen, that man is a great actor. We also have someone who really surprised us and that is Khanyi Mbau, she has never tackled a comedy role like the one she plays in the movie. The first time I saw her, she was a glam queen with long eyelashes and I was convinced she would not accept the character because she is just glamourous and she proved me otherwise,” he said.
Ntuli said working with Schuster was a dream come true for him.
“It’s been an exciting journey working with Leon, he is an amazing old man, he knows his work and gives people opportunities,” he said.