Finding the Fable

The approximately 30-minute documentary was inspired by director/ playwright Nicholas Ellenbogen's quest to write an updated version of the fable "The Elephant Child" by Rudyard Kipling. Finding the Fable takes audiences on a journey along the Limpopo River through farmland, tribal land, and military held areas where they discover communities longing to secure their livelihoods but which find themselves dis-empowered by their circumstances.

The film combines recitations of Kipling's tales about the Limpopo River with profiles of communities and the issues they face. It focuses mainly on issues around natural disasters, particularly droughts and floods, but also looks at intersecting issues such as increased poverty, and lack of access to economic opportunities, health care, education, clean drinking water, and proper sanitation.

The film was shot over a three-week period in November 2010, followed by three months of post-production editing. The project was produced by a diverse team of technical, creative, and academic professionals, including staff from two university departments, experts on the northern Limpopo border area, a Cape Town-based theatre company, and a rock band.

The soundtrack features original music by South African acoustic rock duo Lloyd & Bruno. The film's theme song "Loaded Gun," has since been made into a music video which organisers plan to use as a disaster risk reduction advocacy tool.

Click here to view the documentary and music video on the ACDS website.

Climate change, Environment, Disaster risk reduction