Pearl Thusi to star in international film

The film is about five international thieves hired by a mysterious person from Mauritius to steal the most valuable stamps in the world.

British director Charles Henri Belleville, (Jet Trash, The Inheritance) is expected to direct the film. Belleville has just completed his second film with superstar, Oscar nominated actor, Tom Hardy (Mad Max, Legend). The film stars an array of international talent from France, Brazil, Germany, Egypt, South Africa and the United States.

Also joining the cast is South African supermodel turn actress Nicola Breytenbach in a leading role, along with Deon Lotz who’s supporting. Both Breytenbach and Lotz can be seen together in the upcoming film ‘Free State,’ directed by Sallas de Jager.

Thusi is set to play the part of Makeda, a sexy, gun toting, motorcycle riding femme fatale, who works for a German art dealer who is also out to steal the precious stamps, which collectively holds the secret to a treasure in Mauritius. The film will be produced by New York based D Street Pictures and Cape Town’s Kaapland Films (Klein Karoo, Mooirivier). Executive produced by Dexter Davis and the American actor, rapper and presenter Nick Cannon (Chi-Raq, America’s Got Talent).

“We’re thrilled to have Pearl Thusi join our incredible cast of international movie stars.  Ms. Thusi is in a league of her own and a force in the South African television and film industry. The producers and I agreed that no one was better suited to play Makeda, a character that was written specifically to show the strength of a beautiful, powerful and determined woman,” said Davis about the casting.

Cape Town based producers Tim Theron and Cobus van den Berg have been developing the project with their American counterparts for a while now and see ‘The Blue Mauritius’ as a model for the kind of commercial films that can be produced in South Africa with a South African storyline and cast for the international market.

“It’s very exciting to be able to showcase SA talent alongside well respected and seasoned actors from around the globe. Kaapland Films is dedicated to changing the narrative about South African movies and their so-called inability to travel abroad. We know we have much work to do, but this is a wonderful opportunity to create real change,” Van den Berg added.

Van den Berg’s partner, Tim Theron went on to say, “the Blue Mauritius is a very commercial film and a genre that audiences typically love. You can say it’s a cross between ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ and ‘National Treasure’, which were big successes around the world.”

The producers have asked South African Idol’s host, musician, radio personality Unathi Msengana and the great Don Laka to write and perform the theme song for the film’s soundtrack. They’re going for a James Bond like theme with African influences. The soundtrack will be executive produced by legendary music producer Rick Wak who won the Oscar for the soundtrack to the film Chicago.