Zambezia (film)

Kai (Jeremy Suarez), a high-spirited falcon on the cusp of adulthood is bored and lonely living in a remote outpost with only his strict father, Tendai (Samuel L. Jackson), for company. Forbidden from venturing beyond the Katungu Boundary, his suspicions that there must be more to life are confirmed when Gogo (Jenifer Lewis) and her co-pilot Tini (Tania Gunadi) crash into his world. From them, Kai learns that downriver is a bustling bird city with exciting opportunities for a talented flier such as himself.

In an angry exchange with his father and an encounter with the marabou storks Cecil (Richard E. Grant), his brother Sill, and his cousin Morton (David Shaughnessy) which led to Tendai accidentally killing Sill in a struggle, Kai discovers that Tendai has known all along about Zambezia and has been there himself even after Cecil recognized him! Hurt and angry at his father's betrayal, Kai leaves Katungu and journeys downriver. There was also a mentioning that the marabou were left out of the founding of Zambezia.

Arriving at the famed bird city – a majestic Baobab perched on the edge of Victoria Falls – Kai is amazed by the throngs of birds from all over Africa who are busy preparing for the Spring Celebrations. He soon befriends a fast-talking Nightjar called Ezee (Jamal Mixon) who knows how to enjoy the perks of community life and guides him through the city. Kai is bowled over when he meets Zoe (Abigail Breslin), a beautiful and feisty kite who is the adopted daughter of Sekhuru (Leonard Nimoy), Zambezia's founder an wise old eagle.

Unfortunately for him, Kai doesn't make a good first impression when he accidentally ruins her Spring Celebration decorations. But he is thrilled when his skilful flying earns him a place on the Hurricanes, the elite defense patrol made up of the best fliers in Zambezia led by Ajax (Jeff Goldblum). After Ajax failed Kai during one of the challenges, Kai learns about some of his father's past from Sekhuru

Unbeknownst to him and the rest of the Zambezians, the marabou have joined forces with the rock monitor Budzo (Jim Cummings) and hatched a plan to take control of the island city. To make matters worse, Budzo captures Tendai when he stumbles upon him. Then they capture all of the weavers, including Tini.

In order to save Zambezia and Tendai, Kai, Gogo, Tini and the rest of weavers got out the trap after the weavers weaving the bridge when Marabous and Budzo has arrived to eat eggs just in time. Cecil and Morton didn't realize Budzo has his own group of rock monitors he betrayed and double-crossed them.

Kai and Tendai came for help, but Kai realize the marabous are birds before Budzo reach the nesting grounds to eat their eggs as Kai persuades the marabous to turn against Budzo. Zoe rescue Ajax and the rest of Hurricanes got out the trap after chasing Marabous. So Kai, Zoe, Tendai, the marabous, and the rest of birds join the battle. The Hurricanes drop the rocks the bridge and defeat Budzo's army. Kai defeats Budzo once and for all as he falls to the waterfalls to his death.

With the rock monitors defeated, Kai and Zoe fly out of waterfalls and the marabous are accepted into Zambezia which pleases them.

• Jeremy Suarez as Kai, a peregrine falcon.
• Abigail Breslin as Zoe, a black-winged kite.
• Jeff Goldblum as Ajax, a fat lammergeier who is the leader of the Hurricanes.
• Leonard Nimoy as Chief Sekhuru, an African fish-eagle who is the elder of Zambezia and had lost one of his wings in an earlier battle.
• Samuel L. Jackson as Tendai, a peregrine falcon, former member of the Hurricanes, and Kai's father.
• Jenifer Lewis as Gogo, a kooky saddle-billed stork who tells Kai about Zambezia.
• Jim Cummings as Budzo, a rock-monitor who seeks to invade Zambezia and the leader of his bank who swayed the marabou storks to his side.
• Jamal Mixon as Ezee, a nightjar who befriends Kai.
• Richard E. Grant as Cecil, the leader of the marabou storks.
• David Shaughnessy as Morton, a marabou stork who is Cecil's fourth cousin once removed.
• Noureen DeWulf as Pavi, an African sacred ibis.
• Tania Gunadi as Tini, a weaver bird and Gogo's friend.
• Deep Roy as Mushana, a green pigeon
• Phil LaMarr as an African grey parrot, the arrival announcer for Zambezia.
  • Phil LaMarr also voices Dodo, a guineafowl.
• Corey Burton as Neville, a Lilian's lovebird.
• Tress MacNeille as Neville's wife, a Lilian's lovebird.
• Lee Duru as Nursery Bird, a Lapwing
• Zolani Mahola as a weaver bird

Kelly Stables and Kristen Rutherford provide the voices of the Gossip Birds, a group of Guinea turacos.

Jim Cummings, Tom Kenny, Jon Olson, Brent Palmer, and Wayne Thornley provide the voices of the assorted marabou storks.

Keeno Lee Hector, Nik Rabinowitz, and Sam Riegel provided the voices of various Hurricanes.

Zambezia was theatrically released on 3 July 2012 by Cinema Management Group and Sony Pictures Entertainment in English territories and was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 24 April 2013 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

The film won the Best South African Feature Film[4] at the Durban International Film Festival in 2012. It also won Best Animation at the South African Film and Television Awards and Best Animation at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards.

The original motion picture soundtrack for the film was written, composed and produced by Bruce Retief, which was released on 20 September 2013 through Triggerfish in digital download. It includes fourteen tracks, with music from Retief as the film's score composer, and studio performances from various artists, including Gang of Instrumentals, Zolani Mahola (who also provided the voice of a weaver in the film), and Ludovic Mampuya. It is available on iTunes[6] and on Amazon.[7]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Zambezia (film)

• Official website
• Zambezia at IMDb
• Zambezia at The Big Cartoon DataBase
• Zambezia at Rotten Tomatoes