One of the three films we’re most excited about at Sundance this year is “Pumzi”, a sci-fi film, that we first learned about through our friends at Focus Features. It made its debut here at Sundance last night as part of Sundance’s “New African Cinema” spotlight, along with Jenna Bass’ “The Tunnel” (South Africa) and Dyana Gaye’s “Saint Louis Blues” (Senegal). You’re about to see why we’re all so excited about this. There’s much talk about making science fiction in a “post-Avatar” market, and one of those things is production value. Today you can make an independent science fiction film that LOOKS competitive with the big guys. All you need is the story.
And “Pumzi” has the story. As we said in our original piece on this, “Pumzi” is a 20-minute short film set in a futuristic Africa, in a “water war”, 35 years after World War III. It’s the movie we all wish we’d done. Well, we’ve talked enough. Have a look at the first trailer:
This is a lot more like it!