Mystery of the Nile documents one of the greatest expeditions in modern times—the first complete descent of the world’s greatest and deadliest river from source to sea. For 114 days, a team of explorers led by Pasquale Scaturro and Gordon Brown face nearly insurmountable challenges as they make their way 3,260 miles down the Blue Nile and Nile River, traversing three countries in some of the world’s remotest regions. Deadly crocodiles and hippos, the world’s most dangerous whitewater rapids, gunfire from bandits, malaria, and temperatures topping 120 degrees Fahrenheit are just some of the obstacles they face.

But more than just a chronicle of a groundbreaking expedition, Mystery of the Nile also reveals a wondrous region that is host to abundant historical, cultural, and natural treasures. Along their journey through the highlands of Ethiopia, the deserts of Sudan, and the modern port towns of Egypt, the adventurers explore the spectacular black pyramids left by the Nubian kingdoms in Meroe, the early Christian churches carved out of rock by 12th century Coptics in the sacred Ethiopian city of Lalibela, and the ancient pyramids of Egypt’s pharaohs.
Length: 47:00

Film Details

  • Year Released: 2005
  • Date Released:
    February 2005
  • Alternate Titles:
  • Status: In Distribution
  • 3D: No
  • Run Time: 31-50
  • Formats: 8/70, 15/70, Dome-customized 15/70
  • Distributor:

    MacGillivray Freeman Films

  • Produced By:
  • Executive Producer: Almuth Itzen, Harrison Smith
  • Producer: Jordi Llompart, Greg MacGillivray
  • Director:  Jordi Llompart
  • Associate Producer: 
  • Writer:  Jordi Llompart
  • Cinematography: Reed Smoot (DOP), Brad Ohlund, Jack Tankard, Gordon Brown
  • Sound Editor: 
  • Visual Effects:
  • Music/Score:  David Giro, Steve Wood
  • Editor: Stephen Judson
  • Narrator:
  • Other Credits: The highest-grossing giant screen film of 2005.
  • Sponsors:

Genre

  • Adventure
  • Cultural Studies
  • Destination
  • Documentary
  • Exploration/Discovery

Website

Awards

  • Best Adventure Trip of the Year, Spanish Geographic Society Awards, 2006.
  • Grand Prize, Youth Prize, and Public’s Choice Prize, La Géode Large Format Film Festival (the only time all 3 awards have been awarded to the same film), 2006.
  • Best Cinematography, Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA), 2005.
  • Best Soundtrack, Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA), 2005.
  • Best Marketing Campaign by a Distributor, Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA), 2005.
  • Special Achievement in Filmmaking Award presented to Greg MacGillivray and Jordi Llompart, Giant Screen Theater Association (GSTA), 2005.
  • Nominated for a Panda Award (one of five finalists in the Large Format category), Wildscreen Film Festival, Bristol, England, 2006.

Film Facts