Windermere filmmaker shares monkey tale

WINDERMERE filmmaker, Kyle Smith launches his documentary film, Tails of Hope next week.

The film follows the plight of the vervet monkey, an animal surviving in the urban landscape as development encroaches further and further on the natural world. With some graphic scenes, the film has a PG rating of 13 and above.

Smith said he began filming in March 2020 just before the Covid-19 lockdown began.

“Since then we have been moving around South Africa gathering footage,” he said.

“We wanted to go to every single vervet monkey organisation in South Africa. We started in Durban with CROW and Monkey Helpline and then drove to a primate organisation, in Bela-Bela and Tzaneen and Pongola to cover a monkey release,” he said.

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Commenting on the inspiration behind the film, Smith said: “I’ve always been fascinated by vervet monkeys. They are very entertaining. One day in 2017, I decided to write a film concept around them. I used the South African term, a monkey’s wedding to inspire a story. What if two vervet monkey’s actually got married?”

Smith began his film company Filmshark in 2016, although his interest in film began on the other side of the lens through his passion for drama and acting.

“I was an extra in Spud in 2010. That was my first taste of film. I was really into drama in high school. I went to AFDA in Cape Town to pursue an acting career, but then I fell in love with story telling and behind-the-screen direction,” he said.

In 2019 he applied for funding from the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, which he was granted in November of the same year. This funded his ongoing animation project which led to Trails of Hope.

“This project is a part of the larger animation series. It’s a research documentary that led to a full documentary,” he explained.

He said his animation, A Monkey’s Wedding will be produced next year for release in 2023.

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“My goal with the documentary (Tails of Hope) was to learn about the species and translate the vervet monkey into a fictional character on script,” he said.

Smith took on the role of director, editor, producer and writer for the film with two assistants filming additional footage.

The film premiers at Seabrooke’s Theatre on Friday, August 27 at an invitation-only event. There are screenings for the public at 14:00 and 17:00 on Saturday and Sunday (August 28-29). Tickets are available via Quicket. Smith will donate 40% of the ticket sales to local wildlife organisations.