Documentary - BEYOND THE HORIZON

Aim

‘Beyond The Horizon’ is a unique and true story about the emotional journey made by Zoe Stephens, who was stranded in Tonga for 18 months.

BEYOND THE HORIZON 

OVERVIEW

This thought-provoking documentary unveils the unique and true story of Zoe Stephens as she arrived in Tonga initially for a relaxing weekend getaway, but ended up stranded for 531 days as international borders closed due to Covid. 

We need your help to bring this story to life... specifically with the filming phase that is planned for this summer. 

It's a story of finding friendship in the most bizarre of circumstances with themes of empathy and uncertainty, of surrendering to time and the unique events that surround a moment in a life.  

The story is a testament to the indomitable spirit within us all and reminds us of the power of human connection, the importance of companionship, and the ability to overcome adversity.

We explore our unique relationship with animals, especially dogs and the deep bond we have with our four legged friends.

There are themes of tragedy, resilience and pride as the island nation comes to terms with the massive 15-megaton volcanic eruption that was clearly seen from space (the biggest explosion ever recorded in Earth's atmosphere) that shook Tongan Kingdom to its core in 2022, and took the life of a close friend. 

FOOTAGE

Utilizing exclusive footage shot by Zoe during her stay in The Island Kingdom, combined with exclusive filming of her return trip shot by Cloud Forest Films, we track the range of experiences and emotions as Zoe carved out a new existence on the other side of the planet over 10,000 miles away from home.  

THEMES

Zoe's personal journey on the island took many unpredictable twists and turns. An uplifting moment happened when she discovered a sense of belonging via an unexpected source – a pack of dogs that welcomed her with open hearts and wagging tails.   

Her new found friendship with the animals opened a gateway to meeting other characters on the island, many of whom were also stranded. 

Other themes include battling with mental and physical health. Isolated from her loved ones and struggling with the weight of the unknown, Zoe fought to maintain a sense of optimism and strength. In the midst of this challenging journey, she found purpose by taking on an incredible task: organizing the first ever Tonga marathon. The event brought communities together and proved to be (and still is) a beacon of light during uncertain times. 

Upon her planned return to The Island Kingdom this August, Zoe will once more run a 100km ultra-marathon to raise money for TAWS (Tonga Animal Welfare Society)... 

...and we need your support to help tell this story. 

Zoe also survived Cyclone Harold during the first 3 weeks of being stranded, which was quite the introduction to island life. Her new found home was swept away, along with most of her belongings (remember she only packed for a long weekend), including all her access to money. It was the kindness of new found friends and locals that helped her during this testing time. 

The environment is another challenging theme within the documentary. It is estimated that over the next 10 years, Tonga's population could be among the first global climate refugees as the Pacific Islands become ever more threatened by rising sea levels.

During the return trip Zoe will attempt to make sense of her 531 day experience, re-connect with an eclectic mix of characters, witness first-hand the devastating impact of last year's eruption, and showcase the pride of the Tongan people as they re-build their lives and look towards the future.  

Zoe is also desperate to learn of the fate and hopefully re-unite with the dogs that kept her company during her stranded days. This is just one of many emotional rides that will happen during the filming of the return visit. We need your help to make all these ideas come to life. 

THE (VERY INTERNATIONAL) CAST AND CREW FOR BEYOND THE HORIZON

ZOE STEPHENS 

Hi! I'm Zoe. 

I'm born and bred in Liverpool in the UK but having lived in several countries over the past few years (Austria, Zimbabwe, Japan, China, Tonga, and now Taiwan), I'm usually hard to pin down and rarely actually in the UK. 

I've got a love for travel that many find hard to understand. Sure, everyone loves a break from work for a week or two and a relax on the beach - but for me, travel is my life. It's not something I do to take a break from it all, and I wouldn't have it any other way! 

My time in Tonga was the longest time I've stayed in one country since I first went abroad as a teenager. After that first trip, I was hooked on travelling. The new sights, sounds, and smells - but above all, the people you meet and the things you learn. I was so fascinated by anything that was dissimilar to me and my way of life. 

This time on the island was a bit different... (There was a global pandemic, it was all a bit different for everyone!). But in everything I do in life, I try to make the best of it. Embrace everything that comes at me and try to work with it. I've gotten pretty good at adapting over the years! 

I hope through this documentary you enjoy my story and most importantly, get to know about this small country with a big personality and rich history and culture that served as my home during the pandemic! :) 

JAMES ROWAT – PRODUCER & DIRECTOR, CLOUD FOREST FILMS. 

James is an award winning Producer and Director from the UK with 23 years experience, who is a passionate storyteller. When he first read about Zoe’s Tonga experience, James didn’t hesitate to make contact about the documentary idea that soon became Beyond The Horizon.

James was attracted to the unique aspects of the multi-layered story, especially the emotional themes of isolation, time, friendship and tragedy. 

He isn’t a stranger to a great story. James was recently the Series Producer of a six-part documentary series that was crafted during the challenging times of the height of the pandemic, that won the ‘silver’ at the 43rd Telly Awards, and was the Director of a series for the FEI called ‘RIDE’ that had a home reach of 300 million.

He has made innovative content shown in over 100 territories for broadcasters as diverse as BBC One, Channel 4, Channel 5, Discovery Channel, Netflix, CBS, BBC Worldwide and many more. 

Beyond The Horizon is the first feature length independent documentary that James’ production company Cloud Forest Films will make. 

JONO DREW – DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY 

Whether he is gripping for dear life whilst filming up an ice-cold glacier or hot stepping in his sandals across the searing sands of Tonga, Jono’s ‘can do’ New Zealand attitude made him first choice as Director of Photography on Beyond The Horizon.

Based in Auckland, he has spent 20 years behind the lens capturing some of New Zealand’s leading shows. He has international experience in a vast array of broadcast genres from drama and documentary, to commercials and music videos.

Some of the impressive projects Jono has peered through the lens for include The Apprentice Aoteroa, 100 Years of Olympic History and the brand new ratings buster documentary series Tracked.

In 2021 Jono was the D.O.P on the multi-award-winning short film Milk, where his acute eye for detail and style resulted in accolades from around the globe, including two nominations for Best Cinematography.

JOSEPH VEALE – SOUND RECORDIST 

Hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand is Sound Recordist and a man who has one of the biggest smiles in the business, Joseph Veale (closest to camera)

Having spent two decades working across all spectrums of the audio world from studio locations, documentaries and multi-track performances, Joe’s wealth of experience and legendary fun vibe saw him being called up to grab to boom mic on Beyond The Horizon.

Joe’s credits include Beneath New Zealand, Heartbreak Island, Gordan Ramsey: Uncharted and Grand Designs: New Zealand. 

TOMORROW’S GIRL – ORIGINAL MUSIC 

Tomorrow’s Girl is a singer-songwriter hidden in rural England. She mixes soul with lo-fi electro to create a strange, beautiful sound.

As well as writing songs for her solo project, she has written for other artists and plays. When she isn’t busy creating her unique music, Tomorrow’s Girl performs lead vocals at hundreds of gigs alongside some of the UK’s leading professional musicians. She has also provided guest vocals for a number of projects ranging from jazz to electro. 

Tomorrow’s Girl will provide harmonies and a musical score to accompany Zoe’s emotional story in Beyond The Horizon, and we also aim to bring in some musicians from Tonga to provide a Pacific cultural flavour. 

SIMON CROSS – EDITOR

Simon was the obvious choice editor for Beyond The Horizon, having worked with James on many projects over the years. This is thanks in no small part to his ability to find angles within a story that hadn’t been seen or heard of before, as well as his willingness to go the extra mile when needed.  

His fresh take on narrative contributes to a successful back catalogue of documentary work including Heard vs Depp for ITN Productions, Who Do You Think You Are for Wall to Wall, Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man for Tiger Aspect – which was nominated for a Grierson Award, as well as working across trailers for films including Tomb Raider 1 & 2, Die Another Day and the critically acclaimed HBO series Band of Brothers.

HOW YOUR DONATION MAKES AN IMPACT

All funding towards this documentary will have a direct impact on the filming  phases of the production.

1/. The Development & Pre-Production phase where ideas are formed and  filming plans and logistics are organised.

2/. The Production phase where the crew is flown out to Tonga for 8 days to capture Zoe's story. Funds contribute towards camera and sound gear, all flights, accommodation and on the ground logistics. 

Any funds raised over and above the initial target will go towards...

3/. The Post-Production phase which brings the project to life and consists of the edit-suite hire and editor (15 days), all sound work and voice over recording time, clearing any music and archive, all graphics which are made by a VFX company and inserted into our timeline, and once all that is done the documentary is put through a grade to enhance all colours.  

4/. The Marketing & Distribution phase. We are aiming high. Your contributions will aid the distribution at global film festivals as well as marketing tools such as film posters, and hiring of professionals for international broadcast distribution. 

WHY DONATE?

Stories like this don't come around often. To put it simply, we need your support and openly invite you to be part of the project.

We visually celebrate the pride of the Tongan people, highlight benefits of being active and the impact that has on physical and mental health. We tackle difficult themes of isolation and loss as well a focus on the pure joy animals can bring to our lives (especially dogs!) 

So whether you have an affinity to our four legged friends, love a travel documentary or just like to invest in an emotional, unique and raw human story, we welcome you onboard the unforgettable and once in a lifetime journey that is Beyond The Horizon.

This project successfully funded on 1st August 2023