Smoorverlief, a short film by students of the Department of Drama and Film, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), will compete at the European Independent Film Festival.
It is up against four other international films in the category for Best non-European dramatic short film at the European Independent Film Festival held in Paris, France from today, Friday 12 March, until 14 March. “I have not seen any of the other films that we are up against, but I would say we have a decent chance,’ says Greg du Tertre (20), a third-year film student and producer of the film.
“Words cannot describe my excitement when I heard the news that the film was nominated,’ says Greg. “This was the first real short film I produced and to see it just get into the festival was an amazing feeling.’
The film, shot in Swellendam in the Western Cape, is set in 1967. The storyline revolves around newlyweds Antoinette and Ben Kellerman. After their dark, eerie honeymoon Ben discovers that his wife is lying about her affair with Robert. He then hires his best man, Zirk, to kill Robert. But, things turn out horribly wrong when Zirk decides to kidnap the bride as well.
Greg was born and bred in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. “From a young age I had a love for television and film. In high school (Maritzburg College) I started chasing my dream, working at a production company on weekends and in my free time,’ he says.
Greg adds that he was very lucky to be given the chance to produce Smoorverlief as he was only a first year at the time and it was a third-year production.
Blood and Steel, a film he produced at the end of last year, won best TUT film of the year in 2009 and has since been selected for the 39th Internationales Studenten Filmfestival sehsuechte in Potsdam, Germany. This is the biggest European student film festival. It will take place from 20 April to 25 April. The film will compete in the category Focus South Africa.
Smoorverlief has been commissioned by M-Net for five years and will be screened on M-Net, Movie Magic 1 and Movie Magic 2 on DSTV.
