A NEW adventure-thriller FEATURE FILM
Lost Safari
Directed by Marlin Darrah · 2026
Deep in the heart of Africa, a small group of travelers drive across Tanzania, and face the greatest challenge of their lives.
The CALL TO ADVENTURE
Lucas Matamoros (played by veteran actor Alfonso DiLuca), an adventurous 60 year-old Spaniard, has a big adventure in mind. He convinces three other travelers - Peter, Barbara and Liz (played by actress Vicky Dawson) - to pay him $6000 each, and join him on a grand, cross-Africa driving safari from Tanzania to Morocco. But Lucas is a man on the run, and to some degree, all of them are. Running away from failed businesses, failed marriages, boring lives, boring jobs. Their dream adventure begins on the streamy, fragrant and historically intriguing island of Zanzibar. From there, they will take a ferry to mainland Tanzania, and provision Lucas's old Land Rover with tents, bedding, food and other supplies. Then set out on bumpy roads across the glorious landscapes of Tanzania. They will encounter the kind people of Tanzania, visit waterfalls, coffee farms, schools, lively open markets, waterfalls, a Tanzanite mine, the archaeological site at Olduvai, climb an active volcano and experience the unparalleled national parks.
FIRST THE GLORY AND BEAUTY. THEN A SURVIVAL MISSION.
The intrepid travelers make their way across Tanzania, passing through such beautiful national parks as Mt. Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, and the world famous Serengeti. They camp under the stars, experience the thrill of seeing the varied wildlife, and share stories of their lives and dreams. The two younger travelers begin to fall in love. The two older travelers, Lucas and Liz, draw closer together after shared experiences on the sometimes tough African road. But the leader of the group, Lucas, carries a secret and a burden, and the travelers are unaware they are being followed by a ruthless Zanzibar man that Lucas owes money to. In the last third of the movie, the travelers encounter rough and barren terrain near Lake Natron, where their tired old Land Rover finally breaks down. Lucas insists that he walk the many harsh desert miles ahead in search of water and rescue for his fellow travelers. But in these desperate conditions, the story becomes a race against time, as the group's very survival is in question.
The Film
Lost Safari is the result of a year of research about the 1955 true story upon which the movie based. Also extensive fieldwork and location scouting by producer and director Marlin Darrah, and co-producers Lin Zuo, Nick Dreselly Thomas and Ryan Skaife, who teamed up with Godson Dearson and Excellent Guides & Safaris. It is a film about the dream of a great adventure, the wilderness itself, about obsession, and about what happens when the world you thought you understood refuses to cooperate. It will be shot in the alluring and intriguing Zanzibar and in northern Tanzania. The movie will show sights, sounds and places that few travelers have ever seen.
"The wild is not a backdrop. It is a character — and it has its own agenda."
— Marlin Darrah, Director
Film Details
Director
Marlin Darrah
Runtime
90 minutes
Year
2026
Language
English, Swahili
Format
4K / DCP / HDR
Rating
Not Rated
Country
USA / TANZANIA
World Premiere
Anticipated -- Sundance 2027
Credits
Cast & Production Crew - Proposed
Alfonso Diluca (as "Lucas")
Luna Rivera (as "Barbara")
Jarred Harper (as "Peter")
Vicky Dawson (as "Liz")
Massi Furlan (as "Mr. Jabari")
Nick Dreselly Thomas (as "Jeremy")
Director
Marlin Darrah
Cinematographer
Ian Tilson
Producers
Marlin Darrah, Lin Zuo
Co- and associate Producers
Ryan Skaife, Dearson Godson, Nick Dreselly Thomas
Editor
Nick Aquilino
Original Score
Brandon Maahs
Sound Design
James Thompson
Colorist
Ian Tilson
Executive Producer
Damon Manning
Location managers: ryan skaife, dearson, noel, Glory and daniel of Excellent Guides & Safaris
See the Film
LOST SAFARI will screen at festivals worldwide and will be available on demand in 2027 on dozens of streamers.