A Far Off Place
The witty Nonni and the stuck-up city-boy Harry are the only ones to survive a massacre of a gang of poachers among the gamekeeper's family on his lonesome farm in the savanna. Now the ruthless murderers are after them as the only witnesses. Without a means of transportation, the only way to escape is to walk through two thousand kilometers of Kalahari desert with the help of the African bushman Xhabbo. On the months-long journey ahead, they not only become good friends against their differences, but also realize that every one of them has strength and skills that are required to survive.
The film earned $12.9M at the global box office.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
A Far Off Place (1993) demonstrates carefully calibrated narrative design, characteristic of Mikael Salomon's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 48 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.6, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Nonnie Parker
Harry Winslow
Xhabbo
John Ricketts
Main Cast & Characters
Nonnie Parker
Played by Reese Witherspoon
A resourceful teenage girl who witnesses her family's murder and must flee across the Kalahari Desert.
Harry Winslow
Played by Ethan Embry
An American teenager visiting Africa who becomes Nonnie's companion in their desperate journey across the desert.
Xhabbo
Played by Sarel Bok
A young Bushman tracker with deep knowledge of the Kalahari who guides the teenagers to safety.
John Ricketts
Played by Jack Thompson
The ruthless leader of ivory poachers who murders Nonnie's parents and pursues the children across the desert.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Nonnie and Harry live separate lives in the Kalahari - she with her conservationist father studying elephants, he as a privileged American visiting his father's ranch. Both are sheltered in their respective worlds.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Poachers led by the villainous Berman attack both families' compounds at night, brutally murdering Nonnie's and Harry's parents to eliminate witnesses to their ivory poaching operation.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to The three young people leave everything behind and head into the vast Kalahari Desert on foot, beginning a 1,000-mile journey to escape the poachers and reach civilization. Harry and Nonnie must trust their lives to Xhabbo's ancient knowledge., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False victory: The trio reaches a water source and believes they've evaded the poachers. They share a moment of triumph and connection. But Berman has been tracking them and is closing in, raising the stakes for the second half., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 81 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The poachers capture the children or corner them in the desert. Xhabbo is gravely wounded. All seems lost - they're out of water, out of options, and the poachers have them. The whiff of death is literal and immediate., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Harry and Nonnie synthesize their old-world resourcefulness with Xhabbo's wilderness wisdom. They formulate a plan using both civilized cunning and natural knowledge to turn the tables on Berman and escape., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
A Far Off Place's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping A Far Off Place against these established plot points, we can identify how Mikael Salomon utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish A Far Off Place within the adventure genre.
Mikael Salomon's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Mikael Salomon films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.5, reflecting strong command of classical structure. A Far Off Place represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Mikael Salomon filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional adventure films include Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Bad Guys and Zoom. For more Mikael Salomon analyses, see Hard Rain.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Nonnie and Harry live separate lives in the Kalahari - she with her conservationist father studying elephants, he as a privileged American visiting his father's ranch. Both are sheltered in their respective worlds.
Theme
Xhabbo, the young Bushman, speaks about the old ways and how survival requires knowing the land and trusting in nature's guidance - establishing the theme of civilization vs. wilderness and finding one's true path.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the Kalahari setting, the Parker and Winthrope families, the elephant research, the tension between conservation and poaching, and the isolated beauty of their world. Harry and Nonnie meet awkwardly.
Disruption
Poachers led by the villainous Berman attack both families' compounds at night, brutally murdering Nonnie's and Harry's parents to eliminate witnesses to their ivory poaching operation.
Resistance
Harry and Nonnie hide and survive the massacre. They debate what to do - Harry wants to use the radio, Nonnie knows the poachers will return. Xhabbo appears and convinces them their only chance is to trek across the desert to the coast.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The three young people leave everything behind and head into the vast Kalahari Desert on foot, beginning a 1,000-mile journey to escape the poachers and reach civilization. Harry and Nonnie must trust their lives to Xhabbo's ancient knowledge.
Mirror World
Xhabbo teaches Harry and Nonnie how to survive in the desert - reading tracks, finding water, understanding animal behavior. The relationship between the three deepens as they become dependent on each other, not just their old privileged lives.
Premise
The adventure the audience came for: crossing the Kalahari. Spectacular desert landscapes, encounters with wildlife, learning survival skills, bonding around campfires. Harry and Nonnie shed their civilized attitudes and learn from Xhabbo's wisdom.
Midpoint
False victory: The trio reaches a water source and believes they've evaded the poachers. They share a moment of triumph and connection. But Berman has been tracking them and is closing in, raising the stakes for the second half.
Opposition
The poachers close in relentlessly. Resources dwindle. The desert becomes more brutal. Internal conflicts emerge as exhaustion and fear take hold. Harry struggles with his limitations. Xhabbo is injured. The psychological toll mounts.
Collapse
The poachers capture the children or corner them in the desert. Xhabbo is gravely wounded. All seems lost - they're out of water, out of options, and the poachers have them. The whiff of death is literal and immediate.
Crisis
Dark night of the soul. Harry and Nonnie must face their deepest fears and the possibility of death. They reflect on what they've learned from Xhabbo and the journey. The loss of innocence is complete.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Harry and Nonnie synthesize their old-world resourcefulness with Xhabbo's wilderness wisdom. They formulate a plan using both civilized cunning and natural knowledge to turn the tables on Berman and escape.
Synthesis
The finale: Using everything they've learned, the children outwit and overcome the poachers. Elephants may aid in the final confrontation. They reach safety and Berman faces justice. Xhabbo recovers or is honored.
Transformation
Harry and Nonnie, forever changed by their ordeal, say goodbye to Xhabbo and the Kalahari. No longer the sheltered, privileged children from the opening, they carry the wisdom of the desert and a deeper understanding of what matters. The closing image mirrors the opening but shows their transformation.