This uniquely South African tale follows wildlife expert Gareth Patterson on his quest to study the 'Ghosts of the Knysna Forest'. Contrary to the long held belief that only one Knysna elephant still existed, Gareth soon discovered the presence of other, previously not known about, elephants. Quietly, and without the aid of humankind, the Knysna elephants seem to have brought themselves back from the very brink.

The story follows Gareth's journey to learn about the elusive elephants by conducting DNA testing of the elephants dung, diet analysis, placement of remote camera's and by covering thousands of kilometres on foot in the forest and on the foothills of the mountains. The dedicated work of Gareth and two highly skilled trackers, Wilfred Oraai and Karel Maswatie, together with Hylton Herd of SANParks, reveal surprising discoveries about the elephants that many experts had previously not uncovered.

For Filmmaker Mark van Wijk it was an expedition of a lifetime. Van Wijk says “tracking for days in the forest was an incredible experience, and despite physical challenges of carrying camera gear, I was continually filled with a sense of awe as we journeyed deeper into the mystical forest.” It was after a chance meeting with Gareth, that Mark starting developing the film in 2002 and in 2007 it was commissioned by NHU AFRICA. Sophie Vartan, Commissioning Editor said “the story attracted me right from the start, I also wanted to know more about the Knysna elephants, and we went all out to capture these elusive creatures on film!”

Packed with outstanding cinematography, this 52 minute documentary, contains exclusive footage of the Knysna elephants and makes for a fascinating watch as some of the mysteries of the Knysna forest are brought to light.

Screenings will run on Sundays at 19h00 at the Knysna Movie House. Screening dates are 30 August, 6, 13 and 20 September. For bookings call 044 382 7813, www.knysnamoviehouse.co.za, tickets are R20 per person.

NHU AFRICA (Natural History Unit of Africa), headed up by Sophie Vartan, commissions, co-produces and distributes wildlife documentaries for both local and international broadcasters, and has produced over 100 hours of programming to date. Other NHU AFRICA initiatives include the Wild Talk Africa film festival and conference, www.wildtalkafrica.com and the Wildlife Film Academy, which trains students in wildlife filmmaking, www.wildlifefilmacademy.com.

For any DVD enquiries, email geta@nhuafrica.com