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絕地獅殺
PREY

故事大綱
一部高潮迭起的驚慄片，本來是一個夢寐以求的非洲之旅，怎料變成與獅子戮殺之戰，最後究竟誰可適者生存？

湯 (彼得維納飾演)一家四口來到南非旅行，讓他的新婚妻子愛媚與其子女打好關係，可是由於工作需要，湯臨時不能跟他們進入森林，因此愛媚 (碧姬梅娜安飾演)帶同14歲大女茜茜 (卡莉舒露達飾演) 及10歲兒子大衛先行出發。森林嚮導白賴仁駕車，可是就在他們下車散步之時，原來一隻獅子已在30碼外覬覦著這四個獵物，而另一隻女獅也把關攔截著，而剎那之間，白賴仁已被獅口撕成兩半，成為兩隻獅子的午餐！手提DV Cam 的積茜嘉，更無意中把這段殘酷殺戮如實錄影下來……

就在獅子滿足口腹之際，愛媚與子女只能隱藏在車裡，等待救援，當然兩隻獅子又怎會放棄食物！一場人獸廝殺之旅旋即展開，究竟DV Cam記錄的下一個獵物會是誰？

全片實地南非拍攝
導演的話：南非森林內的《鯊海22小時》＋《大白鯊》
南非導演達路占士活特（Darrell James Roodt）繼2005年憑《永不遺忘的美麗》(Yesterday)一片入圍奧斯卡金像獎最佳外語片之後，再接再厲，返回祖國拍攝電影。他聲言：「我很想在非洲拍一部商業片，而《絕地獅殺》就是我過去幾年一直構思的作品。」導演更強調，《絕地獅殺》不但是一部擁有南非特色的動作片，也是一部圍繞家庭親情的劇情片：「在森林裡是一場人獸殺戮戰，我們用上大批獅子去營造緊張情節；但在汽車內，則是一個後母與兩個小朋友的感情戲，他們要在這密封的狹小空間求存，對抗外面饑餓吼叫的獅子之餘，更要面對他們自己之間的兩代新關係。」

活特很有信心《絕地獅殺》會成為一部極具口碑的娛樂片：「就像《鯊海22小時》和《大白鯊》一樣，戲中的情景會勾起人類的原始恐懼，令大家體驗一段驚慄、刺激的光影旅程。」

製作花絮
精彩選角 美女對野獸
《絕地獅殺》另一引人入勝的地方是，車上力抗獅子的三人之中，有兩位是柔弱女子。導演活特很高興在選角時得心應手，成功找來《智能叛變》(I-Robot) 、《驚天殺局》(The Recruit) 的靚人碧姬梅娜安(Bridget Moynahan)來飾演年青後母艾美一角。模特兒出身的碧姬既擁有高佻性感身段，自小亦是運動能手，以往她就是憑這份剛柔並重的氣質脫穎而出，在《驚天殺局》與阿爾柏仙奴合作，飾演女兵之後，便在科幻鉅製《智能叛變》演科學家。活特表示：「我和監製一談起艾美這角色，就馬上提出碧姬的名字。但想不到她很快就回覆我們，說她很喜歡劇本。」

至於車上另一名女乘客──14歲大女積茜嘉則由現年16歲的金髮美少女卡莉舒露達(Carly Schroeder)飾演。３歲出道，至今已演出過幾百集電視劇的卡莉，兩年前憑《下流．少年》(Mean Creek)一片在「美國獨立精神大獎」中，與戲中各少年演員贏得「最佳合演獎」，並因此認識了碧姬。「我後來在加拿大碰見碧姬，她告訴我關於《絕地獅殺》這部新片，我看了劇本，覺得好驚好驚！」卡莉說，她因此決定參與這部驚險動作片，更笑言自己剛拍畢《Eye of the Dolphin》，與海豚做完對手戲，便要與獅子為伍。

荷里活獅子　飛往南非拍攝
除了車上的兩位靚女與小男孩，原來影片的猛獸主角「獅子」同樣是來自荷里活的專業演員！由於獅子在片中有不少戲份，所以今次監製特別安排了５隻自出生便訓練為演員的獅子，由洛杉磯飛往南非演出。

率領今次「獅子團」的首席獅子訓練員伊莉莎白麥梅蘭說：「我帶了兩隻雄獅、兩隻雌獅，還有一隻小雄獅，我把牠的鬃毛剃光，讓牠『反串』扮演戲中的獅子女。」

對於今次遠赴海外演出，麥梅蘭對她的「乖仔乖女」信心十足：「牠們一出世就開始接受藝能訓練，我們每晚都帶獅子回家睡覺，早上就帶牠們去電影拍攝場地，可以說，我們的獅子是在片場長大的，非常熟悉電影製作。」麥梅蘭更笑言，今次影片要求這批獅子明星襲擊汽車、大聲咆哮、嚇驚人類……簡直就是叫獅子做回自己：「攻擊人類、虎視眈眈、廝殺生物，這本來就是獅子的天職吧！牠們當然應付自如。」

650磅雄師　嚇壞演員
雖然這幾隻荷里活獅子深受荷里活電影的專業訓練，又在開戲前跟一眾演員見過面，但到了南非森林正式拍攝時，卻依然無減現場的緊張氣氛。女主角碧姬說：「我們知道這批獅子在加州接受過特別訓練，其實都很安全，但當我看見牠們在車外踱步時，始終還是很驚。」

譬如，有一場戲是講650磅的大雄獅跳上了車頂，剩下碧姬、卡莉及飾演小兒子大衛的干納達勞斯(Conner Dowds)三個人伏在車廂內。恐怖記憶歷歷在目的卡莉說：「那獅子跳上了車頂後，大家便聽見牠在爬行的聲音，我還感覺到牠的腳尖在爪刮車蓋，之後牠突然跳了下來，我不停尖叫，已經不是演戲，而是驚到不知所措，後來獅子更一直瞪眼看著我，碧姬於是用手掩著我的嘴巴，攝影師喝止我尖叫，原來他們發現大雄獅已很不耐煩，企圖撞破車窗闖進來！」

獅子版《侏羅紀公園》　展示絕地人獸鬥
至於碧姬就比小女孩卡莉大膽得多，自小熱愛運動的她甚至在戲中親身演出所有動作場面：「我從小已接受體能訓練，直至現在我都有做健身操、舉重，所以今次能學以致用，真的很開心。」

除了演員夠落力，影片亦多得導演活特的老拍檔攝影師米高比爾利(Michael Brierley)把關，每天都動用上４、５部攝影機來捕捉每一個緊張刺激的人獸鬥時刻。此外，攝製組在後期製作時亦以電腦特效為好些場面加添懸疑、驚慄的效果。

正如飾演大女兒的卡莉所說：「《絕地獅殺》根本就是一齣用了獅子做主角的《侏羅紀公園》！一家人去看，一定會很開心！」

導演及演員簡介
碧姬梅娜安　健康性感代言人
1970年出生於美國麻省的碧姬梅娜安(Bridget Moynahan)自言小時候是「男仔頭」一名，熱愛運動，曾在中學擔任籃球隊隊長，亦踢過女子足球。高中畢業後，碧姬到紐約市碰運氣，誰知５呎９的身高以及一身健康體態，讓她輕易晉身模特兒行列，並在短短幾年間成為殿堂級時裝雜誌【Vogue】、【Glamour】、【New Woman】等最愛起用的模特兒之一。

1999年，碧姬憑她的獨特氣質贏得《色慾都市》中娜塔莎一角，把這個「有身材但冇腦」的女人演得精彩絕倫，結果為碧姬打開了電影之門；之後幾年演出了《妹力四射》(Coyote Ugly)、《緣份天注定》(Serendipity)及《驚天核網》(The Sum of All Fears)等片。2003年，碧姬在《驚天殺局》(The Recruit)與巨星阿爾柏仙奴及型男哥連費路(Colin Farrell)合演之後，人氣急升；翌年，在科幻鉅片《智能叛變》(I, Robot)與韋史密夫拍檔；而去年亦與影帝尼古拉斯基治合演了《軍火之王》，現時已成為圈中最搶手的女星之一。

卡莉舒露達　真人洋娃娃
長長金髮，藍藍眼睛，可愛得像洋娃娃的卡莉舒露達（Carly Schroeder）三歲已是廣告明星，後來被發掘為《General Hospital》及《Port Charles》等人氣長壽劇集作定期演出，至今已為兩齣姊妹劇集拍了超過480集；她亦曾為迪士尼頻道的著名節目《The Lizzie McGuire Movie》客串過12集，可說是深入美國民心的小演員。近年，卡莉開始力攻電影界，2004年更憑《下流．少年》(Mean Creek)一片贏盡口碑。此片不但獲邀參加辛丹斯電影節及康城影展，更為卡莉與一眾同戲演員取得美國獨立精神大獎「最佳合演獎」。最近，卡莉剛完成了《Eye of Dolphin》一片，早前亦在《銅牆火壁》（Firewall）一片中飾演夏里遜福的愛女，可說前途無可限量。

此外，卡莉亦是廣告界的小寵兒，去年便為美國時裝品牌Abercrombie & Finch's擔當模特兒。

Anant Singh presents

a Videovision Entertainment production

in association with

Distant Horizon and Ingenious Films

a
Darrell James Roodt
film

Bridget Moynahan Peter Weller Carly Schroeder

PREY

Jamie Bartlett Connor Dowds

Casting Director
Pam Dixon

Production Designer
Tiaan Van Tonder

Music By
Tony Humecke

Edited By
Avril Beukes (S.A.G.E.)

Director Of Photography
Michael Brierley (S.A.S.C.)

Line Producer
Carine Stander

Executive Producers
Peter Schlessel, Sudhir Pragjee, Sanjeev Singh

Screenplay By
Darrell James Roodt, Jeff Wadlow & Beau Bauman

Story By
Darrell James Roodt

Producers
Anant Singh, Helena Spring

Directed By
Darrell James Roodt

Production Information

Game Reserve, Southern Africa. The present day. The Newman family are on a safari holiday in a game reserve in Southern Africa. When they get lost on one of the many dirt roads in the reserve, they fall prey to a pair of starving and relentless lions.

Tom Newman, (Peter Weller) has not joined them due to urgent business obligations, hopes that this trip will provide an opportunity for his 14-year old daughter, Jessica (Carly Schroeder), and their 10-year old son, David (Connor Dowds) to bond with his new wife, Amy (Bridget Moynahan). The kids are hot and bored with this trip. They would rather be back at the lodge, swimming. Jessica cannot understand why her father has chosen to coop her up with his new young wife and resentfully keeps herself occupied by filming everything with a Palm-corder. The ranger, Brian, hoping to make the trip more adventurous, decides to take them "off roading".

As they approach the Crocodile River - now a wide, dry river-bed - David announces that he needs to go to the toilet. Brian suggests that David goes behind a bush - "African Style". In her camcorder, Jessica sees Brian suddenly tense up and David's eyes open wide with terror. There is a huge male lion watching them from about 30 yards away! Amy and Jessica see it too, but their shock has scarcely registered when they see a lioness approaching Brian and David.

Amy reacts immediately, thinking to start the car so that she can drive to the tree, but Brian has the car keys on him. She waves her arms and shrieks at the lioness who turns to look at her.

In those seconds, Brian and David make use of the distraction to run for the car. David manages to dive into the vehicle ahead of the lioness, but she gets to Brian before he can make it to safety. As Amy and the children cower in horror inside the car, the lioness kills Brian and drags him off to be devoured with the rest of the three lion pride.

There isn't any cell phone signal in the remote bush and Amy, Jessica and David are helpless and alone with the lions who, having finished Tom off, begin clambering over the car, trying to find a way inside the SUV. Finding none, they disappear into the bush.

Amy is convinced that the lodge will send a search party. Having seen the car keys lying in a trail of blood a short distance from the car, the children are less convinced. Amy runs to fetch the keys, narrowly beating a lioness back to the car.

The enormous animal thuds into the car as Amy slams the door shut. The vehicle rocks under the impact of the massive body as the lioness tries to ram her way into the car. Eventually all three lions lie down in the river bed to watch the humans, now themselves very hungry and thirsty, huddled in the car.

That night a thunderstorm brings a flash flood to the area and the family are able to catch some drinking water in their hands. Through the storm, the lions look on.

Amy is still hanging on to the hope that the lodge will send out a search party. Jessica is sceptical, besides, they are no longer on the road - the rain has swept away all tracks and any other evidence of their whereabouts . A helicopter is, indeed, searching for them, but the ranger has not yet spotted them.

They hear the rotors of an approaching helicopter. Jessica defies Amy, jumps out of the car and tries to signal the chopper, but it is already receding into the distance. Jessica bursts into tears and Amy goes to comfort her. Suddenly they hear the low growl of the lioness. She is closer to them than they are to the car. As the lioness charges, they start to run. She is almost upon them when the sound of a single rifle shot pierces the air. The lioness is killed instantly. Amy and Jessica lie on the ground and watch as a black man and a youth walk towards the lion. They ignore Amy and Jessica altogether and Amy realises that they do not understand English.

Then they start skinning the animal, Amy and Jessica wonder whether or not the two poachers will help them. They approach the men and Jessica manages to communicate to them that she desperately needs water. The youth takes her through the bush to a water-hole. Jessica drinks greedily whilst the youth cuts a fruit from the calabash tree so that she can take water back to David and Amy.

They hear the sound of a gunshot and rush back towards the riverbed. The man is gone, but Amy and David are safe inside the vehicle. Jessica joins them there while the youth runs off to go and look for his father.

The helicopter calls off its search for the day.

Sometime in the night, the youth joins Amy, Jessica and David in the car. He is terrified and with good reason, the lions have re-appeared. No sooner is settled in the car when one of the lions jumps onto the vehicle and manages to clamber inside through the shattered windscreen, pulling the youth out of the car through the windscreen. Mercifully, he dies quickly. Amy and the children push the seats forward so that there is less space for the lion to try and come into the car. A lioness quickly returns and almost manages to push it's way past these obstacles when Amy pulls a can of mosquito repellent from her handbag. She sprays it directly into the lion's face and it retreats into the bush. Momentarily at least, the family has something about which to rejoice.

The lion returns the next morning. He lies down in the middle of the riverbed, facing the vehicle as if to say: I can wait. And they wait virtually the entire morning.

In the meantime, Tom has gone to a local hardbitten hunter, Crawford, to seek help. They drive around the game farm endlessly looking for the family. Finally they manage to locate them. Tom is so happy to see his family that he runs towards them without seeing the lions. A lion jumps through the air towards Tom. At the last minute Crawford shoots the lion, which lands on Tom. Crawford isn't so lucky. He is killed by by the remaining male lion, who then sets off after Tom. Tom barely escapes the same fate as Crawford as he manages to crawl under the car just as the lion gets to him.

Amy finds the car's toolkit and uses a large screwdriver to puncture the petrol tank. She removes her T-shirt and soaks it in petrol. On her cue, the children and Tom get out from within and under the vehicle as she provokes the lion to attack her. As soon as he jumps through the door, she ignites the soaked shirt. She drops it and runs to join the children. The car explodes into a ball of flame..

The helicopter guided to the spot by the explosion, the flames and smoke billowing from the wreck of the car arrives to return Tom, Amy and the children to the safety of the lodge.

SHORT SYNOPSIS

Prey follows an American family who travel to Africa. During their drive in a game reserve they get lost in a maze of dirt roads. While driving around to find their way, they encounter a pride of persistent and very hungry lions which begin to stalk them. The family desperately tries to outwit the lions, marking the beginning of their African nightmare.

* * *

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

"I've just recently returned to making films in South Africa again." says director, Darrell Roodt. In 2004 we made the motion picture Yesterday which was set in South Africa. It was quite a success, and that was more of a human drama. Then it occurred to me what I would really still like to do is to make a film set in Africa/Southern Africa, that is made by us, but a commercial movie. Prey is a story that I have been thinking about, in various permutations for many years now, and it all suddenly came together at the right time. My inspiration was to make a South African theme film with Africa all around and lots of lions - which was successful.

The Prey is not strictly just an action film. I've done a few action films that don't really have much heart or soul, and what I've tried to do here, is create a situation of drama with these three people trapped inside this motor car. There's a lot of human drama going on in a very close space, so it is as intense in it's own way as Yesterday, in terms of human drama. I think that's what made the actors respond to. It's a thriller and an action/adventure, but at the same time, for me, I am more interested in the drama, in what happens in that motor car. The lion element is exciting to do as a filmmaker, but I'm more interested in the human drama side.

The story is very interesting in that there's an external threat the whole time from the lions and the internal drama that' s going on with the two children who don't like their stepmother, and how, by the end of the film they come together.

The picture is not safari in Africa! It's more like Open Water and Jaws in my mind, and I wanted to tap into that primal fear that people have of these kinds of situations.

I hope to achieve a spectacular, scary and suspenseful movie that plays in the big multiplexes all over the world and draws in audiences with the best of them. I want to show that we are able to make both critically acclaimed and commercial films."

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

CASTING

"We are thrilled to have Bridget Moynahan to star in Prey," comments producer, Anant Singh. "We are also delighted to be working once again with Darrell as director on this film. Prey is a suspense-filled film that can be likened to Jaws in the African bush."

"When we were deciding on the kind of person that we needed for the role, Bridget Moynahan's name came up very fast, and we went to her and we got her, it was as simple as that. She responded to the screenplay, and told me later, she liked the drama of it.

For that kind of actress, a wonderful actress, you don't get many roles where you're the lead; it's a meaty part," says Roodt

With budget limitations Roodt had to cast the young boy David Newman played by Connor Dowds out of South Africa. "I made a little promo for this film before and I used this little boy Connor in it, and there was something haunting and enigmatic about him and I think it has paid dividends. I think he's amazing in the movie, and the interesting thing is to watch him hold his own with these bigger actors. Bridget Moynahan has worked with artists such as Al Pacino and Will Smith, and he wasn't intimidated."

Carly Schroeder, who plays the character Jessica, met Bridget Moynahan at the Independent Spirit Awards, where she garnered an award for best ensemble cast - a special distinction award to the entire cast of Mean Creek. "Bridget actually presented me with my award and Darrell was sitting in the audience watching, and that's how we all came together. We met in Canada when I was filming and Bridget told me about Prey, and I read the script and it was really scary.

I'm really not into scary movies at all, and it's absolutely crazy, I'd just finished working with dolphins, and then I was working with lions! We talked it over and I decided this is a project I would like to do."

"I saw Carly, in the movie Mean Creek, and she blew me away, and at the Independent Spirit Award, for which Yesterday was nominated, Carly went up to receive her Mean Creek award, and I said "I want that little girl for PREY", and I got that little girl, it's weird! " says Roodt.

"I had heard of Darrell Roodt." says Peter Weller, "specifically as his brilliant picture, Yesterday, was recently nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category. We also met about 4 years ago with a couple of friends, Bryan Brown, Angus McFadden, when I was shooting in Cape Town. I also knew him from Cry, The Beloved Country."

In terms of casting the lions: "The lions come from Los Angeles!" laughs Roodt. "Right up front we discussed this issue in detail. Because they're a principal part of the movie, they're as important as the actors are, in their own right. We needed the best lions we could get because the work required is tricky and intricate.

Acclaimed animal trainer Sled Reynolds (The Scorpion King, Gladiator, Dances with Wolves) and his lions from America, came highly recommended and I met him in Cape Town and he said, "Yes, I can do that!" I thought it would be much trickier than it was and it was so easy to work with the lions."

WORKING WITH THE WILD

Not many people can grasp the concept of taking lions to Africa. "They are definitely Hollywood lions!, says Head Lion Trainer, Elizabeth McMullan, who took 5 lions from Los Angeles to South Africa. " Of course there are tons of lions in Africa - and quite a few working lions are used for filming there - but they are trained very differently. As our lions are 'fully employed' as actors, in L.A., we work them all the time. We've trained them from when they were babies, we take them home with us every night, we take them to movie sets everyday, as work hard to desensitize them to everything, so they're raised in the business and we have several trainers who are able to work them every day and spend tons of time with them." says Elizabeth.

"Technically we brought two full-grown males, a young male to play a female, so I shaved his mane off, and two lionesses." says Elizabeth who claims one of the easiest things about the script is that the lions are actually doing what lions do best: they attack the vehicle, they do three different kills in the movie, where they actually attack the trainers and take us out. They don't actually eat us or anything, but you make it look like they do, so it's all the attacking and stalking and killing. A lions job!"

TAMING THE WILD

"A lot of the previous training is their foundation," says Elizabeth. "In Prey the lions have to do a lot of standing on marks. They know the basics: to sit, to lay down. We did a lot of jumping with them, and a lot of runs, so most of the work with them was just really conditioning them more, especially for all the runs we have to do.

We ran them on a lure, as with greyhound racing, we drag out a lure in front of them, they chase that - and it forms the basis of their exercise. They had that strict exercise regime every day to keep fit.

"When we take them to a new location, they're in a confined space, and their caging is not as big as it would be at home in LA - where we have a training arena, so even if they are not working every day on set, we can take them out for at least an hour every day, and we swap it around. Some days they were allowed to come out and relax, other days we had to work them. It depends on what they had to do on set the next day."

When not working on set the lion stars were accommodated in the bush, very close to the set. In terms of diet, Elizabeth says at "home" in Los Angeles the lions are trained to fast for two days a week, and then given tons of food the next day. During filming in Southern Africa they were mainly fed on beef and chicken, and once in a while Kudu (game/buck), and all their extra vitamins.

The trainers monitored them and fed them a certain amount of food every day depending on what kind of work they had to do the next day. Some days the lions were lucky!, and fed double the amount on a day they were "acting" as they had so much to do. But, for the most part, what they are fed at home is different.

SHOOTING THE WILD

It is the first time that Roodt has shot on a wide-screen format. "I really wanted the African vista to almost be the main attraction, and enhance its incredible beauty. I had a reasonable shooting schedule, so I was able to craft it more than I have my earlier films. It allowed me to get that extra shot, or that better shot, that just takes it to another level. It created a nice, big cinematic feel. I would like to have shot this in a more exotic location, but we couldn't afford the much bigger stuff. But, that was a blessing in disguise because the location was extremely interesting to photograph."

Roodt once again re-unites with Cinematographer, Michael Brierley, on this picture. "After working on five or six films together we have developed a shorthand approach." says Brierley. "We have a very good visual communication, and we speak to each other pretty well." Brierley ran 4 or 5 cameras every day to capture the action material. "I tried to work in back light the whole time to keep the environment as natural as we can.

"It looks pretty dry, we shot at the end of the winter, so the skies tend towards white, and the earth tones really come through in the film," says Brierley who shot on Fuji film, "as it lends itself to the earthy tones."

The dry (post-winter) bush environment proved to be a challenge for the filmmakers. "It wasn't easy to work on the side of a mountain, it was pretty tough going out here." continues Brierley. "The dust came across all the time. I used big white bounce cloths and a couple of lamps, but I think we were pretty lucky with the weather, just a few clouds."

THE HUMAN ROLE

Bridget Moynahan says she was attracted to the picture as the script was exciting. "It had a lot of energy to it, it was something I hadn't really seen in some time - a woman handling problems in extraordinary situations. I had seen Darrell Roodt's Yesterday, even though its an entirely different movie, I thought that I was in good hands to take on something like this, because it is pretty intense, extreme and demanding in a lot of different ways."

"Bridget is a real gentle woman. She gives as much as she can." says Roodt of his leading lady. "It's a very difficult role, some days you can see it, it goes into her soul, she's a wonderful actress."

Bridget plays Amy, the new wife of Tom Newman (Peter Weller), and she enters his family - as he has children from a former marriage. "Entering a family in that way always presents tough, new dynamics, a little difficult at the start. She's having to deal with all that, the kids trying to accept her as a new Mom, so it's a little strained. We come to Africa for a safari, while my husband is away on a business trip, and a lot of things go wrong, but they are all situations that seem very possible. It's about being in the wrong place at the wrong time and having to endure that and survive it." says Bridget.

Bridget does all her own stunts in the picture, but believes she was physically up to the challenge. "I grew up in athletics, I train all year round, weight training, cardio, so physically I was ready for it. I don't think I realized just how much I would have to do, so I was happy I was in shape already. I ended up doing a lot of the stunts anyway, because it's so quick, a lot of it is in the car jumping over seats, so it would be very difficult to cut and put somebody in there. I love doing it anyway, so, unfortunately, the stunt girl was a little bored."

Carly Schroeder plays the role of Tom Newman's daughter, Jessica. "She really doesn't want to be in Africa because she doesn't like her step mom. "says Carly. "She is not the nicest person to be around when she is upset, she loves her Dad, of course, but she feels if she starts to grow on her step mother, (played by Bridget) she would be betraying her biological mother. Towards the end she starts to realize that Bridget isn't such a bad person and that Amy is really trying to help her out and she's not as bad as she thinks she is, and eventually she starts to open up towards her."

Carly believes her best scene is that in which the lion attacks the ranger and comes back. "Then you see Bridget come forward and I'm sitting in the back with Connor holding him and crying, it's a really powerful scene because we're both scared to death."

Peter Weller plays Tom Newman - a fairly straightforward businessman; a hydro electrical engineer who is putting in a dam in the upper part of Southern Africa. In an attempt to bring his two children by his previous marriage to bear some sort of friendship with his new wife, he's decided that a family vacation will provide an opportunity for bonding. In an attempt to seize an opportunity, he takes everybody to the wilds of Africa. While Tom goes off to work at the dam, all hell breaks loose.

"It's a relationship film, and then it goes into a predator film. The relationship gets healed by danger, so you have to create a background, and baggage. It's like Chekov in a way; very lean, the great thing about Chekov is that very little happens, very few events happen on stage, but outside there's an industrial revolution going on, a whole century is changing, but here it's based on my affection, my love for my kids versus my affection and my love for my new wife. " says Weller.

Acclaimed South African actor, Jamie Bartlett, who plays the role of Crawford, describes his character: "He's a guy who's social landscape is not great, he has issues with everything, and it seems the only thing he understands, and has a grip on, is the animals and in guiding people to hunt down the big five, which, of course, the irony being that he ends up using those skills entirely differently in this picture. His skills and his difficult disposition gets called upon by the Newman character to track down his family and two children who have been missing, and it's this very strange man they have to call on in order to track them down. It's the pursuit of this family that I take Mr Newman through. It's a very interesting part - he really is an archetypical character."

ACTORS WORKING WITH WILD ANIMALS

Fortunately, the 'human' actors were not required to come into close contact with the wild animals. "We'd do a shot with the lion, and then a shot with the actors. On a couple of occasions, especially the violent shots where the lions are trying to get into the car, we've used a trainer in place of the actors, so we don't have to worry about anyone's safety." says Elizabeth.

Working in the wilds, however, is not without adventure. Carly Schroeder had a story to take back to Hollywood: "During the first week of shooting and we were sitting in the car before it was completely destroyed. There was a sound in the back, Michael, the cinematographer, Darrell, Connor, Bridget and I were lying down in the back seat, and they told the lion to jump up on the hood of the car, and so the lion jumps on the hood, and we were all supposed to be screaming and really scared, then the lion jumps onto the roof and is clawing and pawing and the roof is slowing coming in, and I couldn't stop screaming, because I was in character and didn't want to get out of it."

"Then all of a sudden the lion jumped down onto the hood and you heard a huge thud, and I was still screaming, the lion just totally locked on to me. Bridget put her hand over my mouth and Michael was telling me to stop screaming because the lion was ready to come in through the window.

When the lions are relaxed and panting, and if they suddenly see something, their eyes just lock on, just amazing. They are wild animals, and if they really wanted to get in to the car, nothing would stop them."

Roodt confirms the exciting, but chilling behind-the-scenes story: "They were inside the car and the lion was outside, literally outside. I was in the car with them with the camera as well, so it was quite an interesting experience. This lion jumped on top of the car and jumped down and stared at them, you could feel there was tension, they weren't acting in other words! "

"Prior to shooting, we went to meet the lions, unfortunately both the females; Arusha and Zeu didn't like me at all." says Carly. "As soon as I started walking away they both started growling. The males were cool, I really like Noodles. There are two females and two males, the biggest one is Felix, they shaved the little baby one, he looks like a girl now because they shaved off his mane, because he does the stunt with the guide, he attacks the trainer.

"Unfortunately we didn't have a lot of contact with the lions, obviously because they are lions, even though they are more tame than a wild lion." says Bridget Moynahan. "Because some lions are from California with some extraordinary trainers, we always felt really confident regarding the issue of safety. It was amazing to watch what they do, and the little contact we had - whether it be through a window or the lions being outside the car - one got extremely frightened, even though we knew we were in good hands."

"There was one shot we had where the 650 pound male lion was on the hood, and all three of us were lying on the back seat and he started licking the windshield and just looking directly at us. It was so frightening, we knew nothing was going to happen to us, but still you get somewhat paralyzed."

"There's a law in the film industry that says animals and children should best be avoided," muses cinematographer, Michael Brierley. "But, we were pretty lucky most of the time with the lions, they really behaved themselves, and we were also shooting a lot of plate material.

"Obviously the lions and the actors can't be involved with each other, nor could they be in the same shot, so we had to be clever with our visual imagery and the way we tied elements together. We were lucky to have really great actors, who were able to visualize and imagine situations to a tremendous extent. They really helped us carry things through."

"If the lions weren't performing as well as they should, the actors sold the drama of the scene. Technically it wasn't that challenging to achieve, because it was essentially just stitching things together, timing things; the empty car, send the lions through, roll the camera for a while, and then send the actors through."

WITH ALL THESE LIONS, DOES THE DIRECTOR REMEMBER HIS CAST?

Given the heartbreaking, emotional drama of Darrell Roodt's Yesterday which was nominated for an Academy AwardR in the Best Foreign Language Film category, one has to ask whether or not a filmmaker can make such a seamless transition from telling the story of the agonizing journey of a dying woman, to lions attacking and killing a group of tourists?

"Darrell is one of those very fortunate people who has very broad-based experience, he can do a lot of different things, however, I think that in a way Yesterday was more of a departure for him than Prey." says producer, Helena Spring, who has worked with Darrell for over a decade.

"He is a very high energy director and he had to exercise a lot of restraint just in terms of his own personality and story-telling style to deliver Yesterday,and of course he did so superbly.

Prey, I would say is almost closer to what Darrell does naturally and instinctively, to really tell a story in superlatives, and that's something he's really good at, but he's good at a lot of different things. I think he's having a lot of fun with this story, he can push it to places, more emotionally based stories, he wouldn't be able to, he would have to be more restrained. This story just allows him to have fun, to go to extremes, he can't be too over the top and that I think suits his skills very well."

"It's always very interesting and huge fun to work with Darrell and, because we've worked together often, we know what to expect from each other, and that's important from a producing point of view, that you can trust the director in terms of your budget and in terms of what he is going to deliver creatively, and because we've already established that basis and that relationship, we know what to expect, and the same with Anant, we've done so much together now that it's just an easy, comfortable collaboration. And so the anxiety level is much less because we are working in such a comfort zone." concludes Helena.

"He's hilarious!" quips Bridget, "so, it's great to be working with somebody who can keep it light, keep it entertaining, and break it up a little bit. I think he wrote a great script and he's got a lot of great ideas, and he's so open to suggestions and letting it happen, because you can read a lot of material on paper, and once you get into it and working with the actors, situations might start changing, and he's okay with that, he lets it breathe and be free of what's happening, instead of being protective of what he had originally written. I thought that was refreshing and so needed on a project like this - when everything happens so quickly, so things just developed as we were working."

"Darrell is like a little kid in a big person's body!" laughs young Carly Schroeder. "He runs everywhere, absolutely everywhere, he has so much energy and it's so great for the cast and the crew, everybody is always so uplifted because he's always right there and so happy. He and Michael Brierely work so well together, and they're always so positive, and they love what they do and you can tell. Michael knows exactly what he wants from it and Darrell also knows exactly what he wants from it, so it's two people knowing what they're working together on, so it's going to be a great end product."

"Darrell said in a GQ interview that he sussed out what most actor's directors like: you get the right script, you get the right cinematographer and you cast it right and then you just get out of the way,'' - and he's great that way." says Peter.

"I don't have to go and strip search a scene, and Darrell is in that vein, he just will come up and say, we don't need this, take that out of it. I don't need to be complimented, reinforced, supported, all I need to have is a suggestion where the physical life, the emotional life or the tension of the scene is off-track and that maybe comes with security or time in front of a camera. Darrell is my kind of director in that way, he just gets out of the way, let's me do my thing, and if my thing is a little to the right or left he comes and gives me a nudge back on track."

WORKING WITH THEIR CO-ACTORS

"Carly is such a wonderful actress," says Bridget Moynahan "I am so fortunate that we were able to get her. She's been working up a storm in the States with Harrison Ford and Mean Creek. It was really necessary to have a strong actress of that age group to be able to be there with me head-on-head. She has a very difficult role, a very strong independent character and I think it's hard to find in that age group. She's fantastic, I really pushed for having a strong actress in that position, otherwise it would have been lost.

"She's a pro", continues Peter Weller. "She has an upcoming career as a teenage actor. She's wonderful."

"Bridget is the coolest big sister", says Carly Schroeder, "she was entertaining to be around, she was always laughing and smiling, we were always talking about being girls, and loving life. We love doing what we're doing, and so we often just sit there and talk about the script."

"It didn't feel like we were at work, it felt like we were just two sisters having a good time. Connor was just like a little brother, he's awesome."

"I found Bridget to be quite receptive and really sweet and available to cook in a scene, because a lot of the time I don't stay with the scripted words, but Darrell is very free with that. Darrell knows that he wants the event of the scene, the tension of the scene. So we get to vamp, and Bridget really swings with that, she's got great gifts and she's stunning," says Peter

THE CHALLENGES OF PREY

The greatest challenge the filmmakers faced on PREY were "obviously the lions," says Helena Spring. As much as you train and prep them, they're not actors, they are wild animals, and there is a limit in what you can do with them. Darrell had to be really clever in the way he constructed the scenes so that he could use the physical lions to their best advantage, while also taking into account that it could be enhanced with CGI. The story happens in the same physical location, so it was always the challenge to make it variable and interesting, so that the audiences remain keyed into the suspense and tension that the characters are facing.

"The whole movie was challenging," says Bridget Moynahan. "Specifically, the emotional situation which you have to continuously follow from day to day, it's hard to remember all that. Added to that, the physical strain, you're tired, you're trapped in a car, it's claustrophobic, you've got two kids who are not your own, and who you are having to take care of and comfort, so there were a lot of interesting emotions for me."

For Carly Shroeder, the greatest challenge was "staying in character and showing the different degrees of fear. You don't want your audience to get bored with just being scared and not showing another dimension to scared."

"Throughout the whole movie there are lions jumping on the car, attacking people, each level of fear is different and it has to be drawn out to certain parts of the movie or else it will just be scared one moment, you're not, you're scared another moment."

WHY WOULD YOU SEE IT?

"It's terrifying, it's exciting and it's all based on reality!" says Bridget. "I think it's going to scare a lot of people. It's like Cujo and Jaws - everybody I know who sees those movies are terrified. I didn't even go to see Deep Water because I do not want to know the possibilities of what can happen in the ocean, it's just too scary for me. I think PREY will appeal to a lot of people, I think we pulled it off . It felt like it while we're doing it."

"It's like a Jurassic Park with lions!," says Carly. "It has elements that everyone wants to see, it has animals for the animal lovers, a non-stop theme of terror, it has a hot chic, Bridget. It's just an all good-together movie. I think families can go and see it too, it's not too gory, it's just a good movie."

"It's all ages, classic horror story, this time with that wonderful African element, those lions are stars within themselves," says Jamie Barlett. "Given that formula and the way I think Darrell is going to put it together, the landscape, the real anguish that's going to be painted on that screen when people are pinned down by the second most dangerous animal in Africa, the lion, I think it's going to make for a great recipe and a good sell internationally."

"I believe in it's global appeal," says Helena Spring. "It is a bit of a Scream movie, it's about keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. I think audiences like the tension, they like the scare factor. It's a specific genre that's done very well in the market place, it's a little bit like "Jaws in the Game Reserve", and that's its appeal. It doesn't pretend to be anything other than a very absorbing, engrossing story that will take your mind off everything else that might be on it.

It's an Open Water/Jaws in the Game Reserve. It's that "come on a roller coaster ride with us!".

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ABOUT THE CAST

Born in New York, BRIDGET MOYNAHAN (Amy Newman) was raised primarily in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. As a child she was a self-professed tomboy, excelling at sports. In high school she was the captain of her basketball team and chose to play soccer instead of attending drama class. As fate would have it, though, drama crept into her life as the years passed. Upon graduating from Longmeadow High School, Moynahan moved to New York City in pursuit of fame. She gave herself three years to find success, after which point she would re-assess her life and perhaps go back to school. This proved unnecessary when she displayed a knack for modelling. Throughout the '90s she appeared in numerous fashion magazines, most notably Vogue, New Woman and Shape, as well as on the cover of Glamour.

Her magnetic looks and fortuitous placement in New York were both factors in her winning her first big role in 1999, on HBO's successful series, Sex and the City in which she portrayed Natasha, the woman who marries Mr. Big, on the show she is referred to as "the idiot stick figure with no soul". The exposure from her recurring role on Sex and the City led to movie roles. Her first three films were the indie pictures Whipped (starring Amanda Peet), Trifling with Fate and In the Weeds, all released in 2000. While not huge draws critically and financially, they were excellent experience for Moynahan's fast-approaching arrival in the spotlight.

Bridget Moynahan became a star thanks to her portrayal of Rachel, the fire-breathing barmaid in 2000's chick flick, Coyote Ugly. The film was a huge success, despite poor reviews, and it brought a great deal of attention to the female-filled cast. In 2001, Moynahan appeared as "the other woman" in the romantic comedy Serendipity, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.

That same year, Moynahan decided to challenge herself and auditioned for the "Tom Clancy" thriller, The Sum of All Fears. She was amazed and elated to find herself reading lines with Ben Affleck two weeks later.

As CIA agent Jack Ryan's fiancee, Moynahan proved to be a wonderful presence as the film's only female character. It went to number one at the box office upon its summer 2002 release.

Her star continued to rise with 2003's The Recruit, co-starring Colin Farrell and screen legend Al Pacino. She continues to live primarily in New York and is romantically linked to Scott Rosenberg, the screenwriter behind Beautiful Girls. Other motion picture credits include Hating Her, co-starring Selma Blair, and I, Robot, with Will Smith and Lord Of War with Nicolas Cage.

Though he is best remembered for the humanity he brought to the title character of Robocop (1987), PETER WELLER (Tom Newman) is a versatile actor who has played in a wide variety of films as both lead and supporting actor. Prior to coming to films, Weller had a distinguished theatrical career. Before that he studied with famed acting coach Uta Hagen. He made his screen debut as a determined lawman in Butch and Sundance: The Early Years (1979). He played romantic leads in his next two films before starring in W.D. Richter's 1984 cult favourite The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai.

His role in this sci-fi satire eventually lead to Robocop, where he was chosen by the director for his "expressive lips." The film was quite successful, and Weller went on to play in a series of minor thrillers and one sequel to Robocop before playing an aspiring writer whacked out on drugs in David Cronenberg's disturbing noir fantasy Naked Lunch (1991). As bizarre as the film was, it gave Weller an opportunity to stretch and show his ability as a serious dramatic actor. Though the film was not a commercial success, he did garner much critical praise for his role. Weller also starred in The Order, a film that tracks a conflicted, rebellious priest who travels to Rome to investigate the strange death of his mentor. The young priest discovers the mysterious death may be the work of The Order, an ancient figure who plays God on earth by absolving the unforgivable of their sins outside the Church, allowing great evil to go unpunished.

CARLY SCHROEDER (Jessica Newman) portrayed Serena Baldwin, the adorable smart-witted daughter of Scotty Baldwin and Lucy Coe in General Hospital and the sister-show Port Charles. She has completed over 480 episodes in the past six years as Serena Baldwin.

Carly added 12 episodes of comedy to her resume by Guest Staring on Disney Channel's number one show Lizzie McGuire. She resumed her role as Melina Bianco, a devilish, free-spirited, prankster and best friend to Matt McGuire in The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Carly stepped into the ring with The Rock for the Best D*** Sports Show Period. On the George Lopez show, Carly earned the role of a 15 year-old when she was only eleven.

She has provided her voice in two movies, Babe Pig in the City and Toy Story 2. She played Molly in Dawson's Creek and Cindy Brady in the movie Growing up Brady. She has appeared in dozens of commercials.

Carly filmed the movie Mean Creek in Oregon. This was the best filming experience to date because the director, Jacob Estes, was so passionate about the film he wrote. Carly was thrilled to participate when Mean Creek premiered in Utah for Sundance and also in France for Cannes. Carly along with her cast members won a Special Distinction Award at the Independent Spirit Awards in addition to the John Cassavetes Award for Best Picture Made Under $500,000.

Carly gave a thrilling performance in Cold Case as an abused child that has been accused of murder 13 years later. She also starred in Firewall opposite Harrison Ford and Eye Of The Dolphin where her character discovers that she could communicate with dolphins. Carly was fortunate to be chosen to model for Abercrombie and Finch's 2005 quarterly catalogue.

South African artist, CONNOR DOWDS (David Newman), got his first gig at the age of 5 as part of a music video for Just Jinger (Just A Boy), where he met Byron Taylor, presenter from Yo-TV. With their similar features, the two were also cast as brothers in 'The Unique Oneness of Christian Savage', an Australian/SA film.

In the same year (2000) he was cast as Tommy in Peak Viewing's Glory Glory (aka Hooded Angels). He is currently in production with the BBC on the Docu-Drama: Krakatoa: The Last Days.

Born in Berkshire, England, JAMIE BARTLETT (Crawford), studied Speech and Drama at the University of Cape Town and then sat for post graduate master classes with Peter Bridgemont at Chrysalis Theatre Acting School in London. Bartlett turned Professional in 1986 with the play Cock & Bull Story for which he garnered a Vita Award.

He has worked extensively in theatre, film and television in South Africa and England. Most of his South African theatre work has been at the renowned Market Theatre, under Barney Simon.

Bartlett has been nominated for five 'Best Actor' Theatre Awards, two for television and one for film in a career that has made him a household name. Bartlett was one of the leads in South Africa's leading daily drama series, Isidingo, and is a popular guest on live television shows and radio talk shows. His motion picture credits include American Ninja 2:The Confrontation, The Sandgrass People, The Revenger, In The Name Of Blood, American Ninja 4:The Annihilation, Warhead, Sexy Girls, Beyond Borders (starring Angelina Jolie) and Bravo Two Zero.

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ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

MICHAEL BRIERLEY S.A.S.C. (Director of Photography) career in the entertainment industry began in 1984 working in the camera department. Thereafter, he progressed working as a camera assistant on many feature films and countless commercials. He started to work as a Director of Photography in 1993.

As a cinematographer he works consistently both locally and abroad, shooting both television commercials and feature films. Recently he photographed the feature film Yesterday, which was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 2005 Academy Awards. His Director of Photography credits include, Number 10, Spring Break Shark Attack, Faiths Corner, Borderline, Critical Assignment, Raya, What Boys Like and Second Skin.

PETER SCHLESSEL (Executive Producer) has had a varied and entrepreneurial career in the entertainment industry. During his 15 years at Sony Pictures Entertainment ("SPE"), his success consistently resulted in increased executive responsibilities. After starting at Columbia Pictures in 1989 as Director of Legal Affairs for RCA/Columbia Home Video, he was promoted to VP of Business Affairs for Columbia TriStar Home Video, SVP of Acquisitions and Business Affairs for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group ("CTMPG") and EVP of Acquisitions, Business Affairs and co-productions for CTMPG. In 1996, he co-founded Screen Gems, SPE's genre division. During his tenure he supervised over 1000 third party acquisitions and co-productions while also being responsible for overseeing the negotiations of the business affairs department, the contract administration department and the programming, marketing and distribution of such product through all media. Under Schlessel's supervision, revenue grew tenfold (to over $300 million dollars per year) for the department.

In 2000, Schlessel was promoted to President of Production. Among his responsibilities were script development, talent negotiation, casting and budgetary oversight. In the three years that he was President of Production, Columbia's box office rank rose from #8 in 2000 to #1 in 2002 (setting a new industry record of $1.57 billion). In the beginning of 2003, Schlessel was promoted to President of Columbia Pictures. He was intimately involved with Columbia's hits Spider-man (Sam Raimi), SWAT (Clark Johnson) and The Grudge (Takashi Shimizu) as well as critically acclaimed Adaptation (Spike Jonze), Big Fish (Tim Burton) and Something's Gotta Give (Nancy Meyers). Internationally, he was responsible for Columbia's acquisition of T3: Rise of the Machines (Jonathan Mostow).

Currently, Schlessel is producing the films HALO (based on the Microsoft video game), Stay Alive (starring Jon Foster, Samaire Armstrong and Sophia Bush), Bobby Z (starring Paul Walker and Laurence Fishburne) and Prey (starring Bridget Moynahan). He is also consulting for a number of different companies including Jeff Skoll's (co-founder of eBay) Participant Productions, Mandate Pictures (The Grudge, the upcoming Stranger Than Fiction), and Evolution Entertainment (Saw). Additionally, he has assisted in setting up a new acquisition and distribution company in Australia. Among other endeavors, he has acted as a sales agent for such pictures as Phat Girlz (Fox Searchlight) and Getting Played (New Line) and is also executive producing the musical children's group The Ohmies. He is a member of the AMPAS and the board of Film Independent.

Schlessel is a graduate of Union College in Schenectady, NY and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He began his career at the New York law firm Simpson Thacher and Bartlett.

SUDHIR PRAGJEE (Executive Producer) who qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1974, is a director of Videovision Entertainment (Pty) Ltd and is responsible for the Business Affairs portfolio in the Videovision Entertainment Group of Companies. During his tenure at the company, he has been the financial controller and/or executive producer on more than fifty feature films and thirteen television productions, and has controlled budgets totalling more than R500 million. He also serves on the board of Cinema Starz, which has cinema complexes in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

Sudhir served as chairman of the KwaZulu Natal based East Coast Radio and is a former director of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed company, Kagiso Media Ltd where served on the Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee. He was also the chairman of the board of Radio Oranje in the Orange Free State and was also director of M&G Media, the publishers of The Mail & Guardian newspaper.

Sudhir has a special affinity for the entertainment industry and left the accounting profession to join Anant Singh and the world of entertainment in 1988. Among the films he has executive produced are Yesterday, the film which received South Africa's first0ever Oscar Nomination, the TRC film, Red Dust, the blockbuster comedies, Mama Jack and Mr. Bones; Cry, The Beloved Country based on Alan Paton's classic novel, the rousing Sarafina! and South Africa's first ever entry for Oscar consideration, Paljas while the television productions include the international hit game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Countdown To Freedom, Will Smith In Africa, and the drama series The Res which is created by Franz Marx of Egoli fame .

Sudhir is also active in the live entertainment ventures of Videovision Entertainment and oversaw the promotion of the Amitabh Bachchan stadium extravaganzas in South Africa in 1991, Gloria Estefan's and Michael Jackson's tour of South Africa in 1997 and the Now Or Never Live! Show which took place in Durban on December 28, 2002 and featured ten of Bollywood's top stars, including the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Sushmita Sen, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty and Rani Mukherjee. Now Or Never Live! was one of the largest concerts ever in the history of Indian entertainment in the world.

Sudhir also plays an active role in film industry bodies and has served as treasurer on the South African Film and Television Institute and currently serves on the National Executive Committee of Independent Producer's Organisation.

SANJEEV SINGH (Executive Producer) has over twenty years of experience in film acquisition and distribution in South Africa. He also heads Videovision Entertainment's cinema exhibition interests. The South African Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology appointed him to the National Film and Video Foundation in recognition for his outstanding expertise in the film industry.

Sanjeev has executive produced a number of motion pictures made under the banner of Videovision Entertainment, among which are the Oscar Nominated Yesterday, Mama Jack, Red Dust, Mr. Bones, The Long Run and The Mangler. As associate producer, his credits include Bravo Two Zero, Sarafina!, Terminal Bliss, and American Kickboxer.

ANANT SINGH (producer) Anant Singh is recognised as South Africa's pre-eminent film producer, having produced fifty-eight films since 1984. He is responsible for many of the greatest anti-apartheid films made in South Africa, including "Place Of Weeping," Sarafina! and Cry, the Beloved Country. Nelson Mandela called him "a producer I respect very much…a man of tremendous ability" when he granted him the film rights to his autobiography, Long Walk To Freedom. Singh is set to film Long Walk to Freedom next year.

Singh is the producer of Yesterday (from director, Darrell James Roodt), which received South Africa's first Academy Award Nomination in the Best Foreign Language Picture category in 2005, the Peabody Award and an Emmy Nomination in 2006 in the "Outstanding Made For Television Movie" category.

Born and raised in Durban Singh began his film career at age 18 when he left his studies at the University of Durban-Westville to purchase a 16mm movie rental store. From there, he moved into video distribution, forming Videovision Enterprises (now Videovision Entertainment). He moved into film production in 1984 with Darrell James Roodt's acclaimed Place of Weeping, the first anti-apartheid film to be made entirely in South Africa.

A selection of his subsequent feature films includes: Sarafina! with Whoopi Goldberg, Leleti Khumalo and Miriam Makeba; The Road to Mecca, with Kathy Bates; Father Hood, with Patrick Swayze and Halle Berry; Captives, with Julia Ormond and Tim Roth; Tobe Hooper's The Mangler, with Robert Englund and based on a Stephen King short story; Cry, the Beloved Country, from Alan Paton's revered novel, with James Earl Jones and Richard Harris; Paljas (shot in Afrikaans, the first South African film to be selected for Oscar Consideration in the Best Foreign Language film category); Face, with Robert Carlyle; The Theory of Flight, with Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter; Bravo Two Zero, with Sean Bean; The Long Run, with Armin Mueller-Stahl; Tsui Hark's remake of The Legend of Zu, with Zhang Ziyi; I Capture the Castle, with Tara Fitzgerald and Henry Thomas and Red Dust, with Hilary Swank and Chiwetel Ejiofor, a drama centering on South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Directly after the completion of Yesterday, Singh once again teamed up with director, Darrell James Roodt to produce Faith's Corner which starred Leleti Khumalo and scored by multi-award winner Philip Glass.

Singh's association with South Africa's Number One Boxoffice star, Leon Schuster, saw the production of the hit comedy Mr Bones which became the highest grossing South African film of all time, earning more than R32 million at the boxoffice. Following Mr Bones was Mama Jack a further collaboration with Leon Schuster which was the top performing South African film of 2005, grossing more than R28 million at the boxoffice.

Anant Singh has also been involved in the production of many important documentaries, including "Countdown to Freedom," about the first free election in South Africa, and "Prisoners of Hope," about a reunion on Robben Island of 1250 of its former political prisoners led by Nelson Mandela.

Singh is a board member of the International Marketing Council Of South Africa, the Los Angeles-based Artists For A New South Africa and the Mandela 46664 Concert with Richard Branson, Dave Stewart and Jim Beach. He is also the only South African member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was appointed by President Thabo Mbeki to the Creative Collective, the body responsible for the organization of South Africa's Ten Years Of Freedom Celebrations in 2004.

Singh has also been active in the media sector and was a founding shareholder of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Listed, Kagiso Media Limited and served as a director of the company. He also served as a director of the KwaZulu Natal based East Coast Radio of which he also served as first chairman. His expertise in media and entertainment saw his appointed to the Board of Governors for Media and Entertainment of the World Economic Forum,

Singh is a recipient of the Crystal Award of the World Economic Forum and the Lifetime Founder Member Award of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. Both the University of Durban-Westville and the University Of Port Elizabeth have conferred honorary doctorates on him.

HELENA SPRING (Producer), Worldwide Head of Production, for Anant Singh's company Videovision Entertainment has produced more than sixty television projects and over twenty feature films. Her most recent motion picture credits as producer include Mama Jack, starring Leon Schuster, South Africa's most successful box office performing filmmaker and artist, the Best Foreign Film Academy AwardR nominated motion picture, Yesterday (2005), starring Leleti Khumalo (Sarafina!), the record-breaking box office performers Mama Jack and Mr. Bones, with South Africa's number one boxoffice star, Leon Schuster, The Long Run,starring Armin Muehler-Stahl (Shine), The Theory of Flight, starring Academy AwardR winning Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter, Bravo Two Zero, (as co-producer), a BBC co-production starring Sean Bean, based on Andy McNab's best-selling book of the same title.

Helena executive produced the multiple award-winning comedy drama, Get Real, a British Screen and Graphite Films co-production, which garnered the Best Picture award at the British Film Festival of Dinard in France 1998: Trophee Hitchcock D'OR, Trophee Hitchcock Audience Award, and the Trophee Hitchcock Kodak cinematography Award.

Helena also exec-produced the motion picture Waati, directed by Palme D'Or winner Souleymane Cisse, The Mangler, directed by Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist), Katinka Heyns' Paljas, which was accepted as South Africa's first official entry in the 1998 academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film Category and Darrell James Roodt's Sarafina! starring Whoopi Goldberg, which received a New York Christopher Award.

Helena's associate producer credits include Face, starring Ray Winstone (Nil by Mouth), directed by Antonia Bird (Priest), Darrell James Roodt's Cry, the Beloved Country, starring James Earl Jones and Richard Harris, which garnered the New York Christopher Award Winner, Dangerous Ground, starring Elizabeth Hurley and Ice Cube for New Line Cinema.

JEFF WADLOW (CO-WRITER) graduated from Dartmouth College with a double major in History and Film modified by Drama and a citation for outstanding work in Animation.

A graduate of the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television, Jeff was awarded a USC Associates Endowment Scholarship for academic achievement; was selected as one of 10 nationwide finalists for the Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker's Award; and conceived, acted in, and directed the short The Tower of Babble (co-written and produced by Beau Bauman and Matt Stuecken, and narrated by Kevin Spacey), which was chosen for a Stark Special Projects grant. The film went on to receive acclaim as an official selection at over 30 international and domestic film festivals, garnering more than two dozen awards.

In his first year out of film school, Jeff was honored with the George Melies Award for Innovation, sponsored by Kodak; made a special presentation of his short films for the opening night gala of the Virginia Film Festival; was featured at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's "Young Directors" night; and took the top prize at the inaugural Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival - a million-dollar production grant to make his first feature film, Cry Wolf.

Jeff's other writing and directing credits include the Chrysler-branded Manual Labor; the presentation piece that inspired Cry Wolf, Living the Lie, starring Topher Grace and Estella Warren; and the animated Catching Kringle, featuring the voices of Danny DeVito and Larry King. As actor, he has appeared in various projects, including Michael Bay's Pearl Harbor and the television series Roswell. Jeff recently created The Adrenaline Film Project, a program he founded to help aspiring filmmakers of all ages conceive and complete a short film in just 72 hours.

BEAU BAUMAN (CO-WRITER)

Beau Bauman graduated from Yale University, was a Presidential Scholar, and is a published author (of The Most Important Thing I Learned in Life, which he compiled and edited from inspiring true stories). He has worked in various production capacities on a number of feature films, and as a story analyst for Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

He is also a graduate of the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. While there, he co-wrote and produced The Tower of Babble, which played film festivals all over the world and won more than two dozen awards.

In addition to the latter, Beau has produced a number of other shorts, including Jeff Wadlow's Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmaker's Award finalist film as well as the

15 Chrysler-branded Manual Labor and Living the Lie (starring Topher Grace and Estella

Warren); and Andrew Cohen's American Storage (starring Steve Carell).

DARRELL JAMES ROODT (writer/director) has directed some of the most acclaimed films to come from his native South Africa, including Place of Weeping, Sarafina! and Cry, the Beloved Country. He holds the distinction of directing South Africa's first Oscar Nominated film, Yesterday which was nominated in the Best Foreign Language category in 2005 and which subsequently received an Emmy Nomination in 2006.

After being turned down for Drama School at the University of the Witwatersrand, Roodt secured financing and the commitment of local actors and technicians to produce South Africa's first anti-apartheid feature film, Place of Weeping (1986). Produced by Anant Singh, the film premiered in New York to wide critical acclaim and was endorsed by the "Artists Against Apartheid" committee as a courageous indictment of the racial policies of the time.

Roodt's next two films, City of Blood and A Tenth of a Second were followed by The Stick, an anti-war film set and subsequently banned in South Africa for two years. The Stick enjoyed a successful run on the international festival circuit and opened the 1988 Montreal Film Festival. When finally released in South Africa it was nominated for six awards in the 1989 M-net Film Awards, including Best Film.

Roodt next directed the human drama Jobman, nominated in six categories in the annual M-net Film Awards, followed by the action thriller To The Death.

Sarafina! (1992), based on Mbongeni Ngema's award-winning Broadway stage hit, and starring Whoopi Goldberg, Leleti Khumalo and Miriam Makeba, introduced Roodt to a wider international audience. Screened in Official Selection at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival, the film was released in the U.S. by Disney, who commissioned him to direct the comedy Father Hood, starring Patrick Swayze and Halle Berry.

Roodt next adapted Alan Paton's classic novel Cry, The Beloved Country (1995) to the screen, with an illustrious cast that included James Earl Jones, Richard Harris and Charles Dutton. The script was adapted by Oscar nominee Ronald Harwood and scored by five-time Oscar-winner John Barry.

Roodt's subsequent films include Dangerous Ground (1997), with Ice Cube and Elizabeth Hurley; the thriller Second Skin (2000), with Natasha Henstridge and Peter Fonda, Queens Messenger II (2001), Pavement (2002), with Robert Patrick and Lauren Holly, Sumuru (2003) and upcoming, Dracula 3000, with Casper Van Dien and Coolio.

Roodt also directed Faith's Corner (2005) which starred Leleti Khumalo and which is scored by multi-award winner Philip Glass.

Prey which he directed and co-wrote with the writers of "Cry Wolf", Beau Bauman and Jeff Wadlow, stars Bridget Moynahan ("I, Robot", "The Sum Of All Fears", "The Recruit"), Peter Weller of RoboCop fame and Carly Schroeder ("Firewall, Mean Creek").

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