Major feature films about Africa are few and far between, and films produced in Africa with African actors are even rarer. The Forgotten Kingdom is trying to be a film starring Africans, telling a uniquely African story, and shining light on the HIV/AIDS crisis in Lesotho.
In The Forgotten Kingdom, Atang Mokoenya is a young man living in Johannesburg whose father has just died from AIDS. His father’s last wish was to have his body buried in Lesotho, and as Atang brings his father’s body Lesotho, Atang falls in love with a childhood friend and is forced to face the AIDS crisis destroying his former home.
So far, filmmaker Andrew Mudge has put together a trailer for the film and set up a website for the film at http://www.forgottenkingdomthemovie.com/. Once they have gotten funding, the film will go into production. This is a film worth supporting not only for what it means for African filmmaking but also because of the film’s subject matter. It is estimated that 1 in 4 people in Lesotho are HIV-positive, and most of Lesotho lives in poverty. People need to hear about the people of Lesotho, and a film like The Forgotten Kingdom is a great way to bring awareness to the United States.
Go to http://vimeo.com/andrewmudge/videos to see more of Andrew Mudge’s work and watch a behind the scenes look at the making of the trailer for The Forgotten Kingdom.
