Three reasons to binge gritty Cape Town cop drama, 'Die Byl'
17/07/2019
Cape Town is the South African city with the highest murder and robbery rate, so its the logical setting for Season 2 of Die Byl, the gritty Afrikaans cop drama that is now available to binge, first on Showmax, ahead of its run on kykNET in December 2019.
Piet van der Bijl (Waldemar Schultz) is a brilliant detective who specialises in serial killers - and a workaholic who will do anything for those closest to him.
In Season 2, which is set five years later, Byls relationship with Advocate Nicky Swanepoel (2018 Tempo Awards Actress of the Year nominee Milan Murray from Waterfront) is on the rocks, while his ex-wife Carien (Fiesta, Kanna, Vita and ATKV winner Rolanda Marais from Johnny Is Nie Dood Nie), is back in his life.
But as usual, Byls more preoccupied with his cases, as he comes up against increasingly sophisticated serial killers who target Cape Flats gang members, senior citizens at a retirement home, inmates at a maximum security prison, and first responders at emergency sites, among others.
While these cases are episodic, the tension builds throughout the season as someone starts targeting those closest to Byl, and the hunters become the hunted...
Here are three reasons to add Die Byl to your watchlist, whether you speak Afrikaans or not:
1. Its inspired by South Africas very own super sleuth
While the cases are fictional, Die Byl is inspired by the real life South African cop Piet Byleveld, who solved some of South Africas most talked-about cases, like the murders of Leigh Matthews, Sheldean Human and Sibille Zanner, and caught infamous serial killers like Lazarus Mazingane, the Nasrec killer, and Cedric Maake, the Wemmer Pan Killer.
According to Daily Maverick, Byleveld - or Piet Byl as he was known - was one of the best detectives ever to have the job. He had a 99% success rate in a career that spanned almost 40 years - and assisted the FBI, Mossad and Scotland Yard in investigations.
Byleveld consulted on Season 1 of Die Byl shortly before he passed away in 2017. He was widely mourned, with News24 calling him a top cop; Daily Maverick hailing him as South Africas very own super sleuth; and IOL describing him as a serial killer hunter with a gentle side.
2. Its the best cast weve seen in ages
Waldemar Schultz (7de Laan) and Lika Berning (Liefling) won the Huisgenoot Tempo Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress in 2017 for their roles in the first season as the brooding colonel Piet van der Bijl and his profiler, Captain Lena Evans, respectively.
Theyre supported by an exceptional cast that also includes Marvin-Lee Beukes (Waterfront, Die Boland Moorde) as captain Juan Stuurman, who has moved from Byls team into IT; Vita award winner Eric Nobbs as pathologist Dr Fritz Barnard and Trudy van Rooy as his new lab assistant, Dr Shani van Rooi; Avanti winner Barbara-Marie Immelman as Ellie Bonthuys, once a journalist only looking for sensationalism, now the police units spokesperson; and Vita award winner Tertius Meintjes as general Neels van As, whose relationship with Byl is improving now that the detective is no longer dating his ex-wife Nicky.
Other key cast include aKING lead vocalist Laudo Liebenberg (Kanarie, Black Sails); SAFTA winner Deon Lotz (Skoonheid, Shepherds and Butchers); and Jessie Berning as the young son of Captain Lena Evans (played by his real-life mother, Lika Berning).
There are also guest appearances in each 70-minute episode, from the likes of 2018 Tempo Awards Actor of the Year Marlo Minnaar (Sara Se Geheim); Silwerskerm winners Cintaine Schutte (Die Seemeeu) and Albert Pretorius (Johnny Is Nie Dood Nie); and three-time ATKV Best Actress winner Jana Kruger (Swartwater), not to mention SAFTA winners Denise Newman (Shirley Adams, Suidooster), Marius Weyers (Dis Ek, Anna), and Jody Abrahams (Hard Copy, Arendsvlei), among many other faces youll recognise.
3. Its made by Marche Media, with Quentin Krog as one of the directors
The nail-biting crime series is being produced by Marche Media - the current darlings of the Afrikaans production industry - responsible for award-winning films like Kanarie and Johnny Is Nie Dood Nie; documentaries like Nobodys Died Laughing: A Journey With Pieter-Dirk Uys; and hit series like Die Spreeus, Dwaalster, and the multi-award-winning Boer Soek n Vrou.
Quentin Krog (Die Boekklub, Vir Die Voels, Ballade Vir n Enkeling, Thys & Trix) directs the first episode. Hes one of three directors on the second season, alongside Liezl Spies (Tempo Awards TV Series Of The Year Sara Se Geheim) and Leon Kruger, head writer on Season 1 and 2 of Die Byl and hit shows like Waterfront.
All 14 episodes of Die Byl S2 are now streaming, with English subtitles, on Showmax at https://www.showmax.com/eng/tvseries/bmqni498-die-byl.
Embedded video for Three reasons to binge gritty Cape Town cop drama, 'Die Byl'
Television
Africa South Africa
LINK: | http://www.filmcontact.com/news/south-africa/three-reasons-binge-gritt... |
See more stories from filmcontact |
More from Film Contact
03/08/2021
Perfectly Numb, coming of age drama announced on the French Riviera
Set on the dazzling French Riviera, Perfectly Numb is a film focusing on mental health issues associated with growing up in a heteronormative narrative. Produc...
18/06/2021
Black Women Disrupt The Web partners with KweliTV to stream Original Web Series Showcase
Black Women Disrupt the Web (BWDW) and kweliTV, the on-demand and live video str...
14/06/2021
Industry Event: The Documentary Filmmakers Association DocCHAT with Netflix Africa Team
DFA hosts a docCHAT with the NETFLIX AFRICA team and unpacks the online distribu...
11/06/2021
DFA docShare presents: Get your Film out There, interactive panel discussion about distribution strategy
DFA invites you to the launch of docSHARE - an interactive learning session wher...
04/06/2021
Egg Films announces new partners, Lebogang Rasethaba & Zwelethu Radebe
Egg Films has boosted its leadership firepower with director Zwelethu Radebe and director and Arcade co-owner Lebogang Rasethaba joining long-standing colleague...
20/01/2021
McCann1886 successfully applies lockdown lessons for Steers
McCann1886 is successfully applying the lessons it learnt during last years hard lockdown to the work it is doing for clients across the board. Last year, the a...
21/12/2020
Africa Movie Academy Awards AMAA Winners 2020
21 December, 2020 - 10:20 The Africa Movie Academy Awards #AMAA announced the winners for 2020 in a live event broadcast online. The winners are: EFERE OZA...
17/12/2020
Tastic's new TVC from FCB Joburg a reminder of people's innate generosity - the spirit of ubuntu
Tastic Rices new TVC from FCB Joburg is a beautifully cast and shot reminder of ...
10/12/2020
HelloFCB+ brings SABC3's festive season proposition to life
HelloFCB is using digital and social media to communicate SABC3s festive season proposition to millennial fans of the channels programming. Awarded the task af...
09/12/2020
Lebogang Rasethaba, Foxp2 & Jgermeister celebrate individuals who disrupt by taking a shot
Egg Films Lebogang Rasethaba directs savants of the social scene, mould breakers...
19/11/2020
Toyota shows South African's the meaning of the luxury of freedom' with new Toyota Fortuner
Toyota South Africa is showing South Africans exactly what the phrase the luxury...
30/10/2020
Superbalist challenges the norm in Impress Yourself' campaign
Egg Films Lebogang Rasethaba joined forces with M&C Saatchi Abel on the latest campaign for South Africas leading online fashion destination, Superbalist. The r...
28/10/2020
Toyota SA evolves Toyota Hilux's strategic positioning with launch of 8th generation
28 October, 2020 - 08:50 Coinciding with the unveiling of the 8th generation...
26/10/2020
Toya Delazy & Kyle Lewis's latest collaboration brings high art and afrorave grit to life
26 October, 2020 - 09:54 Along with the team from VMLY&R Johannesburg, Egg F...
22/10/2020
The 5th Edition of the Toyota Fortuner Challenge goes ahead
16 October, 2020 - 06:13 The 5th edition of the annual Toyota Fortuner Challenge is going ahead this year, albeit under South Africas COVID-19 regulations. ...
13/10/2020
FCB Joburg launches new star' in Toyota SA's galaxy
13 October, 2020 - 07:00 FCB Joburg has created a 360deg through-the-line campaign for the new star in Toyota South Africas galaxy the Toyota Starlet, utili...
10/10/2020
Toyota South Africa launches E-Sports Challenge on WRC 9
10 October, 2020 - 06:49 Following the success of the Toyota Esports FIFA Challenge on PlayStation, Toyota South Africa, in partnership with Brand Inc, the ...
09/10/2020
Mohammad Ali brought back into the ring for Showmax Game Changers'
9 October, 2020 - 06:02 Egg Films Adrian de sa Garces had the impossible task of resurrecting the greatest boxer of all time in his latest spot for Showmax,...
07/10/2020
DFA docLOVE Covid-19 Citizen Journalist Awards
7 October, 2020 - 07:03 The Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA) is calling on all filmmakers, citizen journakists, media activists and artivists who ha...
29/09/2020
FCB Joburg tweaks concept approved before lockdown for Debonairs
29 September, 2020 - 13:21 FCB Joburg has tweaked a concept originally conceived, approved and shot before lockdown for Debonairs Pizza, the countrys leadin...
24/09/2020
Nescafe Ricoffy celebrates Heritage Month with Design-the-Tin campaign from Boomtown
24 September, 2020 - 07:17 South Africas number one coffee brand1, Nescafe R...
23/09/2020
McCann1886 creates new TVC for Dettol ASL
23 September, 2020 - 08:27 McCann1886 created a TVC for global brand, Dettol, to showcase the effectiveness of its iconic Antiseptic Liquid as a disinfectan...
20/08/2020
Flora gets hearts beating with its new TTL campaign from MetropolitanRepublic
20 August, 2020 - 06:03 Flora, a South African household favourite produced by Siqalo Foods, has launched a new brand proposition with a through-the-line ca...
19/08/2020
City of Cape Town encourages citizens to report domestic violence with campaign from HelloFCB+
19 August, 2020 - 06:35 The City of Cape Town encouraged citizens to report ...
14/08/2020
FCB Joburg's #ThisIsGlugGlug ad for Sasol takes poll position on best liked ads list
14 August, 2020 - 14:56 FCB Joburgs This isnt just any fuel. #ThisIsGlugGlug...
07/08/2020
Broadcast Media Africa Announces Content Distribution Is The Focus Of Key Industry Forum In August 2020
7 August, 2020 - 12:10 For the broadcast media organisations to succeed in t...
08/07/2020
FCB Joburg's first shoot coming out of lockdown helps Toyota welcome customers back on the road
8 July, 2020 - 10:04 After more than two months of hard lockdown, Toyota Sou...
26/06/2020
Winners of the DFA Covid-19 Short Film Grant
26 June, 2020 - 07:04 In view of the challenges faced by our industry the DFA board created the Covid-19 Short Film Grant to support independent content on ...
05/06/2020
Invitation: gain a deeper understanding of screenwriting
5 June, 2020 - 07:05 We invite you to join us for a fun and informative virtual screen writing workshop. Well explore what goes on behind the scenes of any ...
23/05/2020
Free Online Screenwriting Seminar
23 May, 2020 - 10:31 Join film and television writers, Michele Rowe and Richard Beynon, for a chance to discuss and ask questions about writing for the scre...
20/05/2020
MetropolitanRepublic produces industry acclaimed campaign for SA Tourism under lockdown
20 May, 2020 - 08:04 Refusing to compromise the speed, agility and commitmen...
21/04/2020
Toyota urges South Africa to give up driving
21 April, 2020 - 08:07 In a 30-second mini-film created in record time by its long-standing communications partner, FCB Joburg, Toyota South Africa is urgin...
31/03/2020
Power Streaming Workflows with AJA HELO
31 March, 2020 - 12:15 Virtualize your next event and simplify your live streams with AJA Video Systems HELO, a standalone device for streaming, recording a...
23/03/2020
Second HelloFCB+ campaign for CANSA excels
23 March, 2020 - 08:02 Dont Fear The Finger, a campaign created for CANSA by HelloFCB to encourage men to test for prostrate cancer, has excelled at this y...
18/03/2020
#TwoBinsLifeWins campaign gives voice to India's conservancy workers
18 March, 2020 - 08:45 To encourage Indian citizens to adopt improved waste management practices, Tata Trusts, through its Mission Garima programme, has lau...
17/03/2020
Toyota repositions Corolla with new creative campaign from FCB Joburg
17 March, 2020 - 09:03 For the launch of the brand-new Corolla and Corolla Quest models, Toyota South Africa is repositioning its iconic Corolla marque with...
13/03/2020
Cape Town's Intrepid Fox creates brand film for US online social sports platform
13 March, 2020 - 11:01 Cape Town-based creative agency, Intrepid Fox, has cr...
04/03/2020
D.B. Sweeney's Comedic Short Sweeps International Film Festival Circuit
3 March, 2020 - 22:10 Two Dum Micks, an offbeat comedic short film, written, directed, and produced by D.B Sweeney and edited by Keith Kristinat at The Colo...
28/02/2020
Coca-Cola leverages its English Premier League sponsorship in Nigeria with a campaign from FCB
28 February, 2020 - 08:17 Coca-Cola is leveraging its sponsorship of the Eng...
25/02/2020
FCB Joburg & Coca-Cola Phonetic Can major winner at 2019 Creative Circle Awards
25 February, 2020 - 07:04 FCB Joburg and its client, Coca-Cola South Africa, were among the biggest winners at the 2019 edition of the Creative Circle Annua...
13/02/2020
Turn your idea into a script that producers will drool over
13 February, 2020 - 09:03 All About Writing provides aspirant script and screenwriters with both the skills and advice theyll need to turn good ideas (well ...
13/02/2020
Gravel Road Distribution acquires Academy Award Winner, Parasite
13 February, 2020 - 09:07 Gravel Road is thrilled to announce the acquisition of this years Oscar(r) winning film, Parasite. Rights are for all-media, exclu...
11/02/2020
Days of Cannibalism Nominated for Best Documentary Award at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival
11 February, 2020 - 09:07 South African filmmaker Teboho Edkinss crossgenre ...
10/02/2020
Sign up for a screenwriting course today
10 February, 2020 - 09:43 Writing scripts isnt easy. But the good news is that many of the challenges are technical and technical skills can be learnt. All ...
05/02/2020
Robin Adams and Ogilvy Cape Town living The Life'
5 February, 2020 - 10:04 The Life, a concept created for Gumtree South Africa by Ogilvy Cape Town and directed by Egg Films newest recruit Robin Adams, take...
24/01/2020
Cape Town Tourism video from HaveYouHeard wins at ITFF Africa
24 January, 2020 - 08:52 Cape Town Winter Song, a tongue-in-cheek video parodying Mother City cliches and good-naturedly teasing its residents, has won two ...
20/12/2019
Sundance makes history by selecting First Narrative Film directed by a black South African
20 December, 2019 - 07:53 They say dynamite comes in small packages, Sadla, ...
20/12/2019
Sundance makes history by selecting First Narrative Film directed by a South African
20 December, 2019 - 07:53 They say dynamite comes in small packages, Sadla, ...
13/12/2019
Dettol reinforces protection as strong as a mother's love' positioning with new campaign
13 December, 2019 - 08:04 Reckitt Benckisers 80-year-old brand Dettol is rei...
11/12/2019
Latest episode in #ToyotaStoriesSA campaign another winner on social
11 December, 2019 - 10:50 The latest episode in the #ToyotaStoriesSA campaign from FCB Joburg is another winner on social media with 150 000 Facebook views,...