Bonné de Bod

De Bod was born in Kempton Park, South Africa and brought up in Northcliff, Johannesburg.[12] She has a B.Com in Industrial Psychology from the University of Pretoria.[13] After graduation a modelling agency offered De Bod a modelling contract in Cape Town. She accepted and located to Cape Town where she modelled for three years.[14][15] This was followed by an offer from London but she followed her passion for wildlife and aced the audition to become a presenter on South Africa's 50/50, the well-known environmental and natural history television show, remaining there for seven seasons.[16][14][17][18]

In 2008, rhino poaching was a growing problem in South Africa.[19] In 2013 a story involving rhino poaching which De Bod made with film director, Susan Scott in Kruger National Park, inspired the pair to create the documentary STROOP - Journey into the Rhino Horn War.[20] Filmed over four years, STROOP, showed the complete chain from African poachers to Asian consumers.[21][22] An official selection at 40 film festivals, the film has won 30 awards.[23][24] Anton Crone of The Sunday Times wrote in a newspaper article that De Bod and Scott's ability to engage with people, "whether vulnerable, dangerous or courageous, [gave] the film it's human depth".[25] The Mercury said that De Bod is tough as nails.[26]

De Bod's second film, also with Scott, Kingdoms of Fire, Ice and Fairytales, premiered at Jackson Wild in 2020, winning several awards as well as receiving positive reviews.[27] Kingdoms was filmed and edited during the COVID-19-pandemic.[28] The pair devised 'Kingdoms of Fire, Ice & Fairy Tales' in California while on the film festival circuit.[29] De Bod has been praised for her presenting in Kingdoms by notable film critic, Leon van Nierop,[30] and by Getaway Magazine, that calls De Bod "the protagonist, with an authentic, assured voice whose screen presence reflects the beauty of the environment she is exploring".[31] In 2015, De Bod also worked on Rhino Blog, (known as Rhino Planet outside of Africa), airing on People's Weather.[32][33] She received the SANParks Kudu Award for 'Best Journalist' in 2015 for her work on 50/50 and again in 2019 together with Scott for STROOP. De Bod was asked by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to moderate a panel discussion on Illegal Wildlife Trade at the 2015 World Forestry Congress.[34]

De Bod lives in Bryanston,[35] and is a member of the Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA).[36]

• Official website