...	(Director)
Flo Coghlan	...	(Writer)
Thabiso Tema	...	Narrator (voice)
Clyde Elgar	...	Cinematographer
Don Percival	...	Camera Operator
Andrew Baird	...	Original Music Composer
Kavinga Pride	...	Rookies
Kavingo	...	Male
Mara (Shaka?)	...	Lioness (Kavingo & Mara's daughter)
Sapi (Shaka?)	...	Mara's daughter Grey Nose
Chiduma	...	Sapi's son
Moya	...	Sapi's daughter
Moto	...	Sapi's Sister's son (Kwame)
Mazunga Pride	...	Veterans
Dombo	...	Mazunga Male
Kutsamwa	...	Mazunga Male

Comments: There are two versions of this. See below

The lions didn't get hair and makeup for this. It's dirty and dusty and very muddy. Has a casual, intimate vibe. It's not a highlight reel of kills. It's full of fails and young adults who don't get it yet. The lion/buffalo encounters are 50/50 in terms of who's in charge. who’s the aggressor

Features two prides: the Kavinga and Mazunga, but focuses almost exclusively on the Kavingas because they’re funnier. They're a small rookie pride of two sisters and their three young adult children. No male at this point in time. Weirdly, they are tree climbers, unusual for lions, and there are many great shots of them lollygagging about in the canopy. The Mazungas are all unnamed pros. Their role is limited to swooping in to finish a job the Kavingas can't handle. Eat and leave. Strangely, the Kavingas accept this and stay out of their way

There is one extended scene where the Kavingas attempt a bull take down. It’s not an attack. It’s a battle. It ends with an extremely long suffocating grasp. Additionally, one of the Mazunga lionesses assists in the kill and joins them for dinner. You don’t see that very often

It all takes place in the dry season near a spring that bubbles up from a dry river bed. There's never more than a couple inches of water flowing anywhere. Did I mention muddy? There are steep embankments on both sides so getting out of this ambush alley is tricky. The buffalo advantage is that they come hundreds at a time, and they know the Kavingas are rookies. Interesting to see buffalo painted as the smart ones

Some gnarly footage of open carcasses, bloody faces from eating, and thirty pounds of shit escaped from a dead baby elephant's ass. But it's not done for effect. It's very natural, like what you'd see if you happened to hike through the place. The "effects" are a few camera tricks, like fast motion zooms, flyovers with maps and arrows, and a couple well placed "rock cams”. All well- and not over-played. I love the flyovers to get a bird's eye sense of place (btw, this is vintage 2012 technology, no infrared cameras or drones)

I'm surprised this appears to be the only doc this crew has done. Part of its "intimate" success, I imagine, is that it's a small controlled area, and given that it's the only source of water for miles there's going to be a lot of prey stopping by

About the two versions

Predator's Playground 2012 NHU Africa 58 min. Has an original soundtrack by Andrew Baird. Narration by Thabiso Tema who brings a contagious enthusiasm to the proceedings and adds emphasis without drama



When Lions Attack 2014 Smithsonian USA 46 min. Has a canned soundtrack. Narration by Alan Sklar whose phlegmy baritone drags. Implied drama

I watched the Smithsonian version years ago and wrote at the time: “Smithsonian seems to like phlegmy whisper narrators for faux-dramatic effect. This has a realistic vibe and one of the best suffocating kills I’ve ever seen, but the narration destroys it (YMMV). This would be a top ten lion doc for me but it’s annoying to listen to”

Another head-scratcher of a difference: In the NHU original the lead lioness is named Sapi. She has a distinctive gray snout. Not your typical leading lady. She is described as the daughter of Shaka and Kavingo, a male who gives the pride their name. The USA version leaves out the family tree and calls the gray-snouted lioness Shaka

Big Cats - Cream of the Crop


Summary: The animals of this African spring run a deadly gauntlet to survive. The spring flows out of a sandy river bed 30km inland from the Zambezi River and is the lifeline for hundreds of animals between August and the end of November each year. But taking a drink from this water source comes at a price, as it is flanked by a cliff on either side and forms a perfect ambush alley for the resident lion prides. The action is non-stop as the powerful predators strike with deadly force, and an incredible success rate. They have formed special skills that allow them to take on everything from Buffalo to baby elephant. It is the perfect place to hunt, a predator’s playground