In his hunt for the world’s finest crystals and minerals, Hot Springs resident and longtime mineral dealer Thomas Nagin discovered an entirely new passion – one for documentary filmmaking. He partnered with Jonathan Kudabeck, also of Hot Springs, to produce “Mineral Explorers,” a docu-style reality series that spotlights some of the richest and most remote mines around the world.
Their newly-completed episode, “Mineral Explorers – Bolivia,” is an official selection of the 21st annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. It will be screened at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, 239 Central Ave., Hot Springs, Arkansas. Both Nagin and Kudabeck will be available for a question-and-answer session following the screening.
“We’re excited to present ‘Mineral Explorers – Bolivia’ at this year’s festival. It’s entertaining and smart, and it’s locally produced,” said Courtney Pledger, director of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. “Given the long history of the festival, Hot Springs plays an important role in the world of documentary film, and we’re especially thrilled when we can showcase films that are actually produced here.”
“Mineral Explorers – Bolivia” is the second in a series of episodes that Nagin and Kudabeck plan to produce. The pilot episode, shot in Colombia in November 2010, 
received the Best Reality Show award at the 2011 International Television Festival in Los Angeles, Calif., and was an official selection of the 20th Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival.
“We appreciate all the support from the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival and the local community,” said Kudabeck, who directed and edited both episodes.
The second episode, filmed in eastern Bolivia in May, follows Nagin and a small crew as they travel by boat through the Pantanal wetlands to the Anahi Mine, renowned for its production of amethyst and the unique gem mineral, ametrine.
“The Anahi Mine is truly one of the most amazing places on earth,” said Nagin, who has bought minerals from the company that operates it for over 20 years. “We had total access to their operation, and were given special permission to take our cameras underground into what is believed to be the world’s largest gem pocket. We’re really proud of the film and happy to have this opportunity to present it to the community.”
For more information and to view the series promo, visit www.mineralexplorers.com on the Web.
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