The film ran for 532 consecutive days at the Oaks Theaters in Cupertino, California, setting a record for the longest uninterrupted run of any movie in Northern California. It was pulled only because the film reels fell into disrepair and a large section caught fire. After such a long run, replacing the reels was too expensive.
The film was the world's biggest non-US box office hit during its release.
While working 14- to 18-hour days for months on end, and with no days off, director Jamie Uys suffered a heart attack during the post-production process. An assistant editor from Hollywood was hired to assist Uys while he recuperated.
Due to an informal international embargo against South Africa, the film was released as a Botswanan film, despite having a South African director and being financed with South African government funds.