The Blue Mauritius is a US$15m budget movie that is due to start filming next year and is looking for a Motswana actor
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
After winning the title of Best Producer for his group’s final project leading up to their graduation at AFDA Botswana this year, film graduate Mompati George Rantuana created an opportunity for a fellow Motswana to land the principal role in an upcoming international film called The Blue Mauritius.
This came after Rantuana was scouted for an Associate Producer role by Hollywood producer Dexter Davis after the screening of Section 82 prior to the graduation ceremony.
“Just after I had this opportunity, I talked to my mentor Dexter Davis and told him that I wanted to give a fellow Motswana the opportunity to star in the film,” he explained to The Gazette. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime because we are talking about a film that is directed by French director Camille Delamarre who has a wealth of experience in movie productions.”
With a casting call scheduled for 14 September 2019 at AFDA Campus in Gaborone, the casting crew will be scouting for the role of a security chief. This character will play the role of a museum security officer and must be strictly a Motswana between the ages of 24 and 34. Rantuana said there are no audition fees and expects that with this age range, they are likely to find the person they are looking for.
“With this role we want to empower Batswana who will get to play alongside The End Game and Avengers movie stars,” he added. “Pre-production of the movie will start in May 2020 and the person who lands that role must be prepared to stay in South Africa for three months. The film will mainly be shot in Cape Town. Dexter Davis believes that Botswana has the potential to grow in the creative space and become a global hub for film and television.”
Rantuana said they are looking for the possibility of bringing production of a feature film called Balling on the other Side of the World to Botswana. This film consists of two stars, one is a Grammy Award winner and the other has a prominent role in the movie Star Wars. “This is an opportunity for our people to gain international recognition by working with these stars,” Rantuana enthused.
“Currently we are having consultative meetings with the government and the private sector for partnerships. The production schedule has been set for January, if things go well. We are looking at 95% of the crew working on that film being Batswana because we want to create that star system.”
The Blue Mauritius is an upcoming French-American action thriller film due to start filming next year with a budget of US$15m.