Simon Blakeney, editor of the BBC series 'Kingdom': 'Nature wrote the script'
Four rival families, fatefully connected and naturally drawn to each other, fight for positions of power and control over their shared living space.
TL;DR
- The BBC documentary series 'Kingdom' focuses on the complex relationships between lions, leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park.
- Filmed over five years in the Nsefa sector, the series captures the natural drama of predator rivalries and interdependencies.
- Key characters include lioness Rita, hyena Tenta and her daughter Tandala, wild dog 'queen' Storm, and leopard mother Olimba and her daughter Murima.
- The production team spent approximately 1,400 days on location, involving over 170 people, including around 90 local Zambian crew members.
- The series, narrated by David Attenborough, consists of six one-hour episodes broadcast on BBC Earth.
- Filmmakers aimed to observe and document the animals' interactions without a pre-conceived narrative, allowing nature to dictate the story.
- The documentary captured surprising scenes, including instances of cooperation and conflict between different species, and intimate moments of raising young.
- The extreme conditions, including temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius and close encounters with baboons, elephants, and hippos, added to the unique filming experience.