Land Of Thirst

Pereceval Gibbon's classic novel Margaret Harding, Land of Thirst arrives on the big screen courtesy of director Meg Rickards. Khanyiso Phalo was the son of an African chief. As a young boy, Khanyiso was separated from his family by British soldiers and sent to study medicine in England. Years later, in 1913, Khanyiso returns to Africa at the height of racist Colonial rule. There, he meets and falls in love with an English woman named Margaret Harding. Their romance violently protested by scornful settlers and vicious soldiers alike, the couple resorts to hiding, lying, and cheating in order to keep their love alive and escape the people who would see them killed.

Directed by Meg Rickards, Land Of Thirst leans on a strong ensemble — Warrick Grier, Hlomla Dandala, Terry Norton — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2008.