(Jonny
Coyne as Mr Grove, Damon Shalit as Frikkie and Chella Ferrow as Sussie)
African
Gothic, a bold new international film version of
Reza de Wet’s iconic masterpiece, Diepe
Grond, will have its South African and African premiere at the Durban International
Film Festival.
African
Gothic is a gritty, poignant drama set in a
decaying farmhouse in the desolate heart of the parched Free State, about a
dangerous and passionate relationship between deeply troubled lovers, their
benign domestic worker and a hapless lawyer who pays them a visit. The
production features two South African-born actors from Johannesburg who play
the pivotal roles of Frikkie and Sussie: Damon Shalit plays the menacing
Frikkie, and Chella Ferrow plays his beautiful and complex, sweetheart from childhood.
Shalit also wrote the screenplay and
produced the film, which is directed by Gabriel Bologna. Shalit performed in
the LA premiere of the play in 2005. Shortly thereafter, he began writing the
screenplay – a process, which was endorsed and supported by de Wet.
“After performing in the play, I felt
compelled to embark on the journey to create the film.” says Shalit. “I was
fortunate enough to be able to work directly with Reza de Wet in developing the
screenplay, a somewhat daunting task as the play is such an iconic piece of
theatre. The challenge came in how to take the play, set in one room, and
expand it into a cinematic experience. So it was invaluable having her
insightful input into this process.”
Shalit was born and raised in Linksfield,
Johannesburg before moving to Houston with his family in his early teens.
Ferrow grew up in Johannesburg and studied psychology through Wits and Unisa.
She then moved to London in 1998 to do a post-graduate in acting. She has been
living in New York for the past 11 years.
They are supported by established British
actor Jonny Coyne, who plays the ill-fated Mr Grove, who was most recently seen
in Hangover Part 3 and Gangster Squad; and Alina, the housekeeper,
played by US singer / actress Connie Jackson who was in Dreamgirls on Broadway and has been a backing vocalist for Phil
Collins. The young Frikkie and Sussie are played by youthful Cape Town-born, UK
based-actor David Verne, and Los Angeles musical-theatre performer Aviv Gadi.
The parents are played by former South African actors, Glen Anthony Vaughan –
who spent many years at PACT - and Maria Olsen, who moved from East London to
Los Angeles in 2005.
Director, Gabriel Bologna, worked as an
actor with the likes of Francis Ford Coppola and Mark Rydeland, Dick Van Dyke,
before turning to writing and directing with his most recent film being Black Waters of Echo Pond. He is son of
Hollywood legends, Joe Bologna and Renee Taylor.
African Gothic will have its South African
premiere at the Durban International Film Festival. It is a joint SA and US
production. Visit www.africangothic.com
for more information.
African Gothic will be screened on July 20 at
12h00 at Musgrave Ster Kinekor; July 24 at 15h30 at Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre
and July 25 at 18h00 at Suncoast Cinecentre. For more info go to www.durbanfilmfest.co.za
(Pranesh
Maharaj’s review will be posted to artSMart shortly)
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