Angelina Jolie was eager to bring "Beyond Borders" to the screen. "This is an amazing project and it deals with so many important things," says Jolie. "It deals with families; it deals with countries; it deals with life and with love. I like the kind of movie that puts people into situations they might not be aware of, situations that can change people's lives."

"When I originally read the script, I wasn't aware of the problems around the world during the 1980s and mid-1990s," admits Jolie. "I was shocked by what I learned had happened in Ethiopia, Cambodia and Chechnya, and I had to get more information because I really wanted to understand what relief work was all about."

Upon reading the screenplay for "Beyond Borders," Jolie began to pursue a personal involvement in humanitarian causes, and because of her many efforts on behalf of those less fortunate, she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). On October 22, 2003, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented Jolie with the coveted first-ever United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Citizen of the World Award, a prestigious honor being given for the first time by the UNCA in recognition of a non-journalist who has been instrumental in raising awareness of UN issues..

Richard Walden, founder and president of Operation USA, a Los Angeles-based international relief organisation, agrees. "I was riveted from the opening scene to the closing scene," says Walden. "The film accurately portrays the desperation of the people on both sides of the equation -- those who are in need and those who are trying to help them."

Screenwriter Caspian Tredwell-Owen was born and raised in Buckinghamshire, England, and schooled at Eton College. He was on course to study modern languages at Cambridge University when the opportunity arose to work in Paris on "Dangerous Liaisons," and he turned his attention to film. He was subsequently hired by Warner Bros. to work in Los Angeles in television production, and this bred an interest in screenwriting. After leaving Warner Bros. in 1997, he wrote the script "Diamonds in the Sky," which was optioned by Oliver Stone. In 1998, he began research for "Beyond Borders," and over the next two years he met and interviewed relief workers from the UNHCR, The Red Cross, Save Oxfam and many other aid organisations. In 1999, he travelled to Kosovo in the immediate aftermath of the NATO bombing, observing relief camps, refugees and aid workers firsthand. Inspired by these experiences, he wrote the "Beyond Borders" screenplay.

For British-born Clive Owen ("Croupier," "The Bourne Identity," "Gosford Park,") the script was one of the best he'd read in a long time.

"It's a wonderful epic about two soul mates set against some of the more serious situations around the world," observes Owen. "I liked the depiction of history and the way the love story is spread over time."

Owen also feels that Nick and Sarah's humanitarian efforts will strike a chord with audiences around the world. "Though these two people start out on different paths, they come to realize they share a common passion: They actually want to get involved in global concerns and truly want to change things. That's what Nick and Sarah's relationship is based upon and that's what makes their love thrive."

Director Martin Campbell, who has enjoyed directorial success with such films as "Vertical Limit" and "The Mask of Zorro," as well as with the television series "Homicide: Life on the Street," says that while making a romantic thriller was different for him, "Beyond Borders" certainly breaks all the moulds of the genre.

"This movie will take you to areas which you haven't seen on film before," says Campbell, referring to not only exotic locations but also to regions of the heart. "The entire cast was just terrific. Angelina and Clive in particular brought such passion to their characters that you could understand why they were both so dedicated to saving lives…and risking their own lives in doing so."

Campbell adds that the story is also unique in that it shows the ravages of war over a period of history and the powerful devotion of relief workers that comes alive because of, and despite, all the violence and depravity that surrounds them.

"It's the story of extraordinary humanitarianism seen primarily through the efforts of two people who come together under horrible conditions and change peoples' lives," says Campbell. "The beauty of it all is that while they are helping others, their own lives become enriched." 

Producer Lloyd Phillips, who partnered with Campbell on "Vertical Limit," was enthusiastic about the project the moment he read the script. "The story really excited me because it's about real issues brought to life with great characters," says Phillips. "Angelina is magnificent, transforming herself from a naïve woman into an individual of true substance. And Clive is truly a leading man. He's the perfect juxtaposition between strong, powerful and masculine and deeply sensitive, emotional and caring."

Noah Emmerich ("Windtalkers"), who portrays Nick's best friend Elliott, a key member of the relief team, feels that it's very rare to come across such a compelling story that deals with issues of global importance.

"The script explores so many themes -- the universality of relationships, the vulnerability of all human beings, the need for people to help," observes Emmerich. "To find a script like this in the hands of a director like Martin Campbell, not to mention getting to work with Angelina Jolie, I had to be involved."

"We all wanted to do this film because we wanted to shed light on what's happening around the world," Jolie elaborates. "What we hope to have accomplished with the movie is to explore a passionate relationship between two people dedicated to each other and to a cause, while, at the same time, raise awareness. I also think it's great that we don't just show one organization helping just one group," adds the actress. "In fact, the way the film ties what has happened in the past to what is happening today is bound to open some eyes."

"This movie couldn't have come at a better time," Emmerich continues. "American audiences are paying attention to issues around the globe and are much more in touch with the world beyond their borders."

Producer Dan Halsted acknowledges that the film certainly gained much of its power from the strong performances of the entire cast, and cites the chemistry between Jolie and Owen as key to the passion of the entire movie. "Those two smouldered on the screen," observes Halsted. "They bring an intensity and a credibility to the story that you can see in their eyes."

shooting beyond borders
Without a doubt, everyone involved with "Beyond Borders" experienced a demanding journey, but all agree that it was a film well worth making. Physically, the cast and crew endured difficult conditions on locations around the world as they went from sub-zero temperatures in eastern Canada to hot, dry winds in Africa's Namib desert, to the sweltering humidity engulfing Thailand. In addition, Quebec had the warmest winter in 50 years, which melted the ice-laden set that served as Chechnya, and a torrential downpour one day in Thailand produced hail the size of nickels, sending everyone running for cover.

Another important issue filmmakers faced was accurately portraying the native people of North Africa. As producer Lloyd Phillips points out, extreme care was taken to ensure that the issue was handled with great sensitivity, and the depiction of malnutrition was produced through computer-generated imagery (CGI) using a healthy child.


"We got all of our extras [numbering approximately 2,000] in Namibia from a variety of tribal groups, and inevitably cast the majority of them from remote, rural areas," says Phillips. "The production company then set up hospitals, hired medical personnel and brought in dieticians to guarantee the care and comfort of the extras as well as the cast and crew."

According to Phillips, filmmakers also hired a separate team to keep an eye on the water situation, and chemically treated most of the water, mixing it with electrolytes to fortify everyone and help them withstand the extremely arid weather conditions. 

Upon completion of filming, the production left behind several very large tents as well as approximately 350 smaller tents used in the relief camp scenes. Donated to the UNHCR, the large tents will most likely serve to set up medical facilities, and the smaller tents will go toward housing. The production also left behind office furniture and generators that relief workers will certainly put to good use, but it is in the remote villages that producer Phillips sees the most benefit of what the "Beyond Borders" production left behind.

"We've gotten back reports that village elders, chiefs and schoolteachers have used the money earned by extras to build much-needed community facilities," says Phillips. "All in all, I'd say the entire operation ran like clockwork. The entire cast, crew and extras had an enjoyable and productive relationship."

To recreate the camp where Nick, Elliot and Sarah work in North Africa during the mid-1980s, the production crew built a set in the Namib desert about 40 minutes north of the seaside resort of Swakopmund in Namibia. For the scene in Cambodia during the height of the perilous Khmer Rouge domination, and then the precarious trek to safety in Thailand, the filmmakers chose to shoot in northern Thailand around the small town of Chiang Dao. The scenes that take place in Phnom Penh were split between the riverside tourist spot of Kanchanaburi and the bustling metropolis of Bangkok.

Producer Dan Halsted says that the reason for the variety of locations was to create three different situations and show how each was unique. "We also wanted to show how Nick's work changes from 1984 to 1995," explains Halsted. "In the end, there are a lot of different looks to this film. There are the grays of London, the rich tobacco colors of Africa, the lush greens of Thailand and the blacks and whites of Chechnya. With the help of our production designer Wolf Kroeger and our director of photography Phil Meheux, the film shows the transition of time and the characters' amazing journey."

"It's definitely a complex movie," says director Martin Campbell. "It's emotionally complex for the actors as they develop their characters, and certainly the physical difficulties speak for themselves. But I'd much rather be shooting out there in the muck where it's real instead of tucked away in some studio. The different locations were a must for authenticity's sake."
"In actuality, we filmed three movies at the same time," says producer Lloyd Phillips. "Each of them is important to the story; each of them is well worth telling."

Angelina Jolie sums up what making the film meant to her, as well as to the cast and crew. "When you make these journeys together, you can't help but become part of a family," says the actress. "We've been through so much and we've all grown from the experience."

art inspires life
Having worked on "Beyond Borders," Angelina Jolie was prompted to find more information about relief work, which led to her appointment as Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in 2001. UNHCR is a two-time Nobel Peace Prize recipient, caring for over 20 million people worldwide. Since Jolie's involvement with this arm of the United Nations, the actress has travelled to relief camps in Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Cambodia, Pakistan and Ecuador.

While filming "Beyond Borders," Jolie visited the Osire Camp in Namibia for refugees from Angola, and when the movie wrapped in Thailand, Jolie spent a day at the Tham Hin Camp, near the Burmese border, where people of the Karen have fled persecution from the Burmese government.

"Becoming a UNHCR Goodwill  Goodwill Ambassador has truly changed me," says Jolie. "I think this is what we all should be doing with our lives, and I think I'm lucky to have discovered it."

To learn more about Jolie's impressions of visiting the various camps around the world, read her journals on the official website of the UNHCR at www.unhcr.ch.