The Price of Sugar (Hoe Duur was de Suiker), shot and co-produced in South Africa, has been chosen to open the Netherlands Film Festival on 25 September.
This 18th-century epic, directed by Jean van de Velde, recounts personal stories from the time of the horror of slavery in the Dutch colony of Suriname.
The film was shot in Zinkwazi on the North Coast of Kwazulu-Natal, as well as at historic locations in Stellenbosch and at the Castle in Cape Town.
The Price of Sugar is a co-production between Cool Beans and PV Pictures (Netherlands), Comet Films (Germany), Spier Films (South Africa) and VARA, a Dutch broadcaster.
Producer Michael Auret of Spier Films says: “This is an extremely well-crafted film in the same vein as Django Unchained and the new Steve McQueen film, 12 Years a Slave.
“It is good that Europe and particularly the Netherlands are also now taking ownership of this part of their history.
“I want to congratulate Jean van de Velde and my fellow producers Richard Claus and Paul Voorthuysen who have invested so much time and energy in bringing this to the screen. I also want to thank all of our wonderful crew for their tireless efforts and amazing creativity and skill.’
The film was crewed by a number of Spier Films collaborators. It was shot by South African cinematographer, Giulio Biccari, (Luther, Black Butterflies, U-Carmen eKhayelitsha) while BAFTA award-winning Darryl Hammer (Black Butterflies, The Girl, The Heineken Kidnap) was in charge of production design.
Rae Donelly (Black Butterflies, Heineken Kidnap) was wardrobe designer, hair and makeup was provided by Raine Edwards (Black Butterflies, Safe House, Zulu) and Gail Overton (Verraaiers, Layla Fourie) was the line producer.
This is the third co-production between Spier Films and European producer Richard Claus of Comet Films.
Previous collaborations include the film The Heineken Kidnap and Black Butterflies (Best Film at the Netherlands Film Award, Best Film at the South African Film and Television Awards and Best Actress at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2011).
The Price of Sugar was created with the support of the Netherlands Film Fund, CoBO, Spier Arts Trust and Slavery Foundation.
Entertainment One Benelux will handle the theatrical distribution in the Netherlands.
The movie Of Good Report, also produced by Spier Films, will screen in competition at the BFI London Film Festival in October.
