The new Afrikaans-language film, Saak van Geloof (A Case of Faith), hit South African cinemas in late September.
Produced by Welela Studios and distributed by Indigenous Films Saak van Geloof is the directorial debut of producer Diony Kempen (Meisie, Jakhalsdans) and stars Robbie Wessels (Poena Is Koning, Bakgat!), gospel singer Riana Nel, Niekie van den Berg and Michael Brunner.
Andrew Worsdale is the associate producer on Saak van Geloof, which is Welela Studios’ third feature film.
The film tells the story of a young girl who falls pregnant and proclaims that she is a virgin. Kempen co-wrote the screenplay with Jaco Botha who wanted to pose the question of what a community would say if there was another virgin birth two thousands years after the birth of Jesus.
According to Kempen, the story is a faith-based tale that originates from the Boer War with themes of love and acceptance.
Worsdale explains how the film came about: “Jaco’s idea of what would happen in today’s world if there was a Virgin Mary in a small town made for a fantastic “what if?’ premise for an intimate, realistically handled story.’
Some people might consider the film to be blasphemous but Kempen stresses that this is not the case. “Both the community and church congregation of Prince Albert, where the film was shot, expressed concern about what we were shooting. They were worried about the message the movie would send out. The cast and crew met with the church elders and told them the story of the film. They accepted it and were put at ease.
“I do not think the film is blasphemous at all. It asks questions about miracles and the way we look for guidance in our lives.’
Worsdale elaborates: “Dominee Briers was open-minded and asked the question: “If the Virgin Mary was alive today, would we believe her?’ The film also asks other questions and takes a stand on love and forgiveness. It is about family values. There are many parents who don’t accept their children and I hope they will learn from the message of the film.’
Saak van Geloof was shot on a low budget over two weeks. Kempen explains that this was a huge challenge. “We were also unlucky with the weather – the wind howled and some exteriors had to be moved inside.’
Worsdale comments that the actual process from development through to production was relatively quick. “Diony is a very driven producer / director; when he sets his sights on something he just goes for it. The film was privately funded and made use of the the Department of Trade and Industry rebate.’
Saak van Geloof was shot on a Sony HD PDW700. “I wanted to keep it simple stylistically. Our aim was to have the action unfold within the frame. The landscapes and town’s beauty made it much easier to get lovely shots. As it was my first feature I wanted to make sure I told the story and come in on budget.’
SCREENAFRICA Print Magazine – October 2011 (view here)
