Cape Verde
Flavours Of Morabeza
Morabeza is a Creole term that means an open spirit, being welcoming to everyone. It is what underpins the unique Cape Verdean way of life.
Each of the 10 islands in the archipelago has its own identity. Because of its history linked to the slave trade, many people from Afrikaner, Dutch, West-African, Portuguese and French descent settled on the islands over the years. When it gained independence from Portugal in 1975, all the nationalities blended into a unique mix of ethnicities and cultures. The Morabeza melting-pot is one Cape Verdeans are proud to introduce film and stills photography producers to.
While Portuguese and Creole are the most commonly spoken languages in Cape Verde, each island has its own unique dialect.
An All-Year-Round Summer Destination
Cape Verde has a moderate tropical climate with almost no rainfall and constant warm temperatures. There are underwater stills photography shoots happening all year round, as Cape Verde offers some of the best sailing experiences in the world, from January all the way through to December.
When the producers of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ were looking for a wild beach location for one of the scenes in the film, Curral Velho on Boa Vista Island provided the ideal setting.
Boa Vista is the most famous of Cape Verde’s islands because of The Viara Desert. An interesting backdrop for many stills photography productions is the wreckage of the M.S Cabo Santa Maria, located not far from the Morro Negro Lighthouse and Morro de Arera Nature Reserve.
The Island of Santo Antao is also popular with film crews. The spectacular village of Fontainhas is built on a mountain cliff looking out over the ocean. After enjoying the hiking trails across the island, film crews can learn about the process of distilling Quogue, a local brew made of sugarcane and the Portuguese liquor aguardiente, a strong brandy. Santo Antao has been described by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful locations for stills photography in the world.
Sao Vicente Island is home to the port city of Mindelo, the cultural capital of Cape Verde. Its cafes with live music bands, small fishing villages and beautiful beaches make it an idyllic location for any film ,television or stills photography shoot.
There is much more to discover on the other Cape Verde islands: carob, banana and papaya plantations, prehistoric dragon trees, remote tourist resorts, the Pedra Lume Salt Pan on Sal Island, underground pools, boat trips across the Bay of Sal-Rei, and learning about the history of marine expeditions from local film fixers.
When filming in Africa, many production companies stop off on one of Cape Verde’s islands to watch regular kite and wind-surfing contests that take place regularly.
To truly discover this pearl in the Atlantic Ocean, African Fixer recommends that you set aside 10 weeks to explore each of the islands at your leisure, while capturing stills photography images that we can help you use to produce additional content for your production.
Book your Cape Verde film fixer now!