Love, laughter at Afrikaans box office

Recently released research into what South Africans like about Afrikaans films is demonstrated by the success of the rom-com, Strikdas, writes Theresa Smith

After 2 weeks at the cinemas, Strikdas has been seen by just more than 70 000 people, staying in the Top 10 box office earners at No 5, just ahead of Ballade vir n Enkeling at No 7.

Strikdas producer, Stefan Enslin, said their intention was to make a family film and the underlying romance was an added bonus.

Yes, we looked at what was doing well at the box office and that's romantic comedies, but we wanted to change that landscape a little bit, said Enslin.

Researchers at the North-West University analysed what attracts South Africans to watch Afrikaans films, looking at box office figures between 2008 and 2013, asking respondents about what they liked and wanted to see.

Comedies and romantic films were favourites among both youth (54 percent and 22 percent) and adult (40 percent and 20 percent) respondents, with drama coming in a distant third for adult (16 percent) and fourth for youth (6 percent after action at 7 percent).

to die windpomp Die Windpomp .

While they will extend their research to include last year's figures, the success of films like the critically acclaimed fantasy romance Die Windpomp, the successful Leading Lady, Louw Venter's darkly comic Konfetti, the plattelandse rom-com Vrou Soek Boer and the very well-marketed Pad Na Jou Hart (which cracked the R10 million mark) already bear out that local film-makers spotted the trend and responded accordingly.

Already this year we have had Mooirivier and Strikdas, while the romance film French Toast (from Hartiwood Films, makers of Liefling) releases next week. Coming up next month will be Somer Son.

According to the research, while 49 percent of older adults felt that Afrikaans films were of an international standard, only 25 percent of the younger set agreed.

The research also reflected that ticket sales (for Afrikaans films specifically) were influenced by whether the films displayed a pride in Afrikaans, the technical prowess displayed as well as quality of film, the marketing and whether there were any famous names attached to the film.

Enslin was amused by that last factor, since they had cast actors such as Gys de Villiers and Sandra Kotze in Strikdas because they suited the roles, not because of any profile or name recognition.

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One local film-maker bucking the rom-com trend, is Darrell Roodt. His next film, Treurgrond (May 29), is a drama about farm murders, starring Steve Hofmeyr.

to leading lady Leading Lady .

Roodt says he understands the impulse to concentrate on romantic comedies and why they are successful at the box office: You don't want to watch headlines at the movies.

Making South African drama films can feel like banging your head against the wall and while he does think the quality of local dramas can improve, he also believes there is an audience for them.

One need look no further than the success of American Sniper, which was a serious drama about a contemporary issue, that struck a chord with audiences in the US and globally, he pointed out.

Both Treurgrond and the other film Roodt recently shot, Seun (releases June 12), are very serious examinations of the Afrikaner psyche which look at relevant contemporary issues in a no-holds-barred way, said Roodt.

The Oscar-nominated South African film-maker was approached by the production company Phoenix Films to shoot Treurgrond and agreed only if he could rewrite the script and cast Hofmeyr in the lead.

I was amazed that they let me do that, the first version was much more reactionary. I tried to put the argument into a broader context and make a film where everyone is represented.

I put his fight into a broader context so that a guy from Soweto could watch it and also see himself and understand. It was hard to do.

But, I must admit, it was my idea. If you're going to make a film about farm murders you have to put Steve Hofmeyr in it, because it will make people pay attention. I do get nervous when I watch what he's getting up to in the news, but he's entitled to what he believes in, said Roodt.

While working on the film set he was intrigued by the visceral response of the police liaison officer who said a scene in which a family was attacked on their farm was so real and scary .

I worked in this farming community and it was interesting to see the electricity on the ground. These people feel under siege and it's not imagined and that's the power of film. It can put you into a position you wouldn't otherwise experience, said Roodt.

He thinks that Seun, filmed by Karoo Films, will also receive a lot of attention because it explores an undiscussed issue - the Border Wars and the effect that had on soldiers: It explores a moment when we should have known better and taken a stance much sooner. The sacrifice and the slaughter for what?

Having said that, Roodt's next rom-com should release at the end of the year, Trouvoete, with Erica Wessels, Bouwer Bosch and Lika Berning.

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