They Said It Couldn't Be Done: Mzima: Portrait of a Spring
(1999)
In front of an audience at the Royal Geographical Society, David Attenborough engages in a frank and highly entertaining discussion with the legendary filmmaker Alan Root. World-renowned for both his innovative filming techniques and incredible risk taking, Alan explains what led him to enter crocodile infested waters to film hippos, one of the most potentially dangerous mammals in Africa.
The opening episode of a series celebrating pioneering natural history documentaries, They Said It Couldn't Be Done: Mzima: Portrait of a Spring explores the making of this epic production.
Including revelatory underwater footage of hippos, Mzima: Portrait of a Spring was Alan's first film in his own right and, on its release, received international acclaim. Capturing a wealth of bird, mammal and reptile life, it is an intriguing portrayal of a varied ecosystem, with stunning cinematography from Alan and his wife Joan revealing the incredible interdependence of creatures at this important oasis.
After an amusing account of his numerous close-calls, Alan's award-winning production is screened again in entirety. Offering an intriguing view into the work of one of the world's foremost wildlife filmmakers, They Said It Couldn't Be Done: Mzima: Portrait of a Spring provides a lively start to this seven part, behind-the-scenes series.
David Attenborough
