Set in 2004, the Afrikaans romantic comedy, Hollywood in my Huis is
about a young girl, Jana, who was born on the wrong side of the tracks and dreams
about her matric dance. After watching Charlize Theron win the Oscar for her
performance in Monster, she fantasizes about her own big red carpet
moment. Her biggest problem is finding the perfect date and she has her sights set
on the school heart throb even though he doesn’t know she exists. The film follows
Jana on her quest to get Brandon to go to the dance with her while her best friend,
Frikkie looks on.
Hollywood in my Huis was shot in 2014 in various locations in the
Cape including Parow, Vasco, Stellenbosch, Cavendish and Observatory.
When asked about what his biggest inspiration was for the film, director Corne van
Rooyen said: “My main inspiration came from the moment when Charlize Theron
won the Oscar in 2004 – for the first time our country’s name “South Africa’ was
mentioned at the Oscars in Hollywood. It made me feel that we can dream bigger,
but the film’s message is that you can dream big but should never forget the
important people closest to you. Every person in SA has in some or other way
experienced the matric dance, whether they’ve lived through it or are still
envisioning or preparing for the big day.’
The movie boasts fresh new faces and talents – Vilje Maritz, Christia Visser and
Edwin van der Walt as well as well-known actresses Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp and
Leandie Du Randt. According to van Rooyen, it took two years of intense casting
sessions in both Cape Town and Johannesburg to settle on the perfect cast.
Hollywood in my Huis opens in cinemas nationwide today, 26 June
2015.
Written by Carina Vermooten
Watch the trailer here.
