THE JUNGLE HOTEL
The Brandpowder Team, while shooting a documentary in Uganda, accidentally bumped into a majestic, flamboyant building. It emerged from the mist like a colonial ghost of a by-gone era. The Jungle Hotel, once a Luxury Resort for preposterous people in search of exotic adventures, has been recently converted into a Anti-Rehab Center for Animals who want to go back to their favorite drugs. “No hope without dope” is the golden motto written at the entrance, ironically referring to the vast majority of wasted people (or animals) who try to get rid of drugs, only to make their life more miserable and dull.
Natalie Poolbridge, twelwe years ago, bought the place at an auction in Luanda. The locals thought she was crazy to spend 2 million dollars for an abandoned hotel that had been relentlessly devoured by mangrovia trees and mikania mikrantas, the “Forest Killer” weeds, not to mention tropical rains, mist and the scorching Sun which, all together, accelerate the decay of whatever is built in the region. But Mrs. Poolbridge, who likes to go around the hotel wearing a rabbit mask, accompanied by two astronauts, proved everyone wrong. She managed to open the Jungle Hotel in less than three years, and the place has been fully booked ever since. No one knows how she was able to accomplish such a miracle but she gained her reputation, as a self-made entrepreneur in a part of Africa that is not a piece of banana cake.
Brandpowder gladly accepted the challenge to film a short promotional video for Mrs. Poolbridge, even if we hadn’t a clue about what filming wild animals on drugs inside an hotel was all about. Our director of photography, Jane Preston, was attacked by Momo, a 24 year-old gorilla who smokes two packs of Marlboro a day and, for some reason, he’s particularly aggressive with vegans. The two astronauts were able to neutralize Momo with their Tamer guns and Jane ended up with a few bruises and a broken wrist. The other animals were okay and we particularly enjoyed, after dinner, to smoke dope with the giraffes.
Mrs Poolbridge apologised with style, launching a pool party at the penthouse. At the Gala Dinner we were served by penguins an impeccable Campari shakerato, grilled crocodile beefs which tasted like spicy chicken and many bottles of a vintage Champagne that tasted, well…vintage enough to convince all of us to shift to whisky sour and Martini cocktails. That was our last day of shooting and, even if we were glad to leave, we were sure the Jungle Hotel project would have been remembered as one of the craziest ones we ever did. Thank you Natalie for your hospitality, generosity and all the pretty animals.
No one knows the true identity of Natalie Poolbridge. She never took off her rabbit mask but the shine of her blue violet eyes and her velvet voice make you think she is no less than beautiful. “I like to protect my privacy,” – she told us, – “and I like my guests to think I am just like them: an animal among the animals.”
Okay Natalie, but…Why the two astronauts?
