Duma
Directed by Carroll Ballard
This movie is one that falls in the category of “ great films no one saw”. Every generation has a coming of age story which centers on the bond between a child and a animal. Old Yeller, Free Willy, My Dog Skip, are some of the movies we will never forget. Duma, is a movie you will not forget. A drama adventure film with no sex, violence, or even swearing. Just make sure you have lots of tissues.
Set in the country of South Africa, the story begins with a cheetah cub being orphaned. The cub is found on the side of the road by a young boy named Xan (Alexander Michaeletos) and his father Peter (Campbell Scott). Initially reluctant to take in a wild animal, Peter agrees to let Xan take care of the cub. They name him “Duma”, the Swahili name for “cheetah”. Over the years, Duma becomes a part of the family, being closely raised by Xan. As he nears adulthood, Peter and Xan decide to teach Duma how to run by having him chase alongside Peter’s motorcycle, which can barely keep up with him. But with Duma almost fully grown, to Xan’s dismay, his father tells him that it is time to take his friend to his real home before he grows too old to survive in his native habitat. His father says to Xan, “Duma has to live the life he was born to – or he’ll never be fully alive.”
Xan reluctantly agrees, but their plans must be put on hold when his father suddenly falls ill and dies and Xan and his mother (Hope Davis) must move to Johannesburg. Duma comes with them, which wreaks havoc on their life in the city. Not knowing where to go, Xan gets an idea – he’ll carry out the plan his dad had outlined, taking Duma home in the neighbouring country of Botswana, and release him into the wild.
Without his mother knowing, Xan heads out to his destination on his father’s old motorcycle, with Duma in the sidecar. After running out of fuel and water in the grasslands, they hold up underneath a crashed airplane. They are confronted by Ripkuna (Eamonn Walker), a mysterious drifter on a journey of his own. While Xan isn’t at all that sure he can trust Rip, he agrees to go with him. In an awesome sence, Xan turns the immobile motorcycle into a desert sailboat out of a parachute from the plane wreck, and Xan, Rip and Duma are on their way again. While trying to find shelter, The three experience life threatening circumstances. The trust between the two are tested as Rip tries to sell Duma for profit.
Too late for him to turn back, Xan, Rip and Duma press through to the border of Botswana. However, once they get there, Rip falls ill from a swarm of tsetse flies. He soon develops sleeping sickness, and Xan takes him to a nearby village where he can be cared for. Later that night, outside the village, Duma is out on his own and starts calling out into the mountains. Duma finds a female cheetah calling to him, and they bond. Xan realizes that this is where he and Duma must part. Xan says goodbye to Duma, and Duma, comes back to Xan and says a final goodbye, he leaves with his new female friend. Then Xan goes back to the village to with Rip. Xan is reunited with his mother.
This story is based on a real events of the Hopcraft family in South Africa and their pet cheetah Duma. How it Was With Dooms , was written by Xan and his mother Carol.
Duma is a South African production, with a South African cast except for the american Campbell Scott.
I highly recommend this movie for the whole family. This bittersweet story is one of love, loss, and redemption.