Exclusive: “Living with Lions” Doc in the Works at Curiosity, Erica Rugabandana & Muneera Sallies Directing

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Exclusive: “Living with Lions” Doc in the Works at Curiosity, Erica Rugabandana & Muneera Sallies Directing

Tanzanian filmmaker, cinematographer, and conservationist Erica Rugabandana and South African writer and director Muneera Sallies are teaming up to pay tribute to the kings and queens of the jungle. As Women’s History Month comes to a close, Women and Hollywood can exclusively reveal that the pair are helming “Living with Lions” (“Kuishi na Simba”), a Curiosity original documentary.

“Most of the stories we know about the Serengeti have been told through the lens, prism, and experience of white, male filmmakers, novelists, and creators,” a synopsis for the project details. “‘Living With Lions’ institutes a new tradition, presenting this world-famous wildlife sanctum from an African perspective. These two female voices shine an inimitable light on the Serengeti from the inside.”

Currently in production, the film “tells the story of a struggle between a lion pride and the Rugari family. Two sister lionesses Ketty and Lucia, desperate to feed their cubs, begin stalking the family’s goats. The patriarch, Omosoka, wants to poison the pride who are threatening his livelihood, while his daughter Nyanji will do everything in her power to save the lions. The ensuing story proves both heartbreaking and triumphant.”

“As a conservationist and cinematographer, I am excited to tell a powerful story which I hope will bring home the importance of wildlife conservation in Tanzania,” said Rugabandana. “Lions play a crucial role in the Serengeti ecosystem, but peoples’ livelihoods matter too. In the Serengeti and in many parts of Tanzania, human and animal interests collide. There is no easy solution to human-wildlife conflict, we must all join hands. I want to show what is at stake in ‘Living with Lions.’”