(Grant
Swanby)
A proudly South African film, Beyond the River. which features former
Durban actor Grant Swanby, has warmed the hearts of South Africans across all
walks of life, and even made waves during a visit to the Sonoma Film Festival
in California in 2018. Now this moving story about building bridges through
sport continues its journey abroad, having made its way to London for a special
multi-day screening in honour of Freedom Day.
The South African High Commission will off Beyond the River’s London tour on
Freedom Day with a premiere, followed by another special screening sponsored by
the London Telegraph, where the cast was present for a Q&A session. The
following evening, April 28, saw the film screened in 40 movie theatres
throughout London.
Beyond
the River is a 2017 South African film loosely
based on the true story of the sporting partnership between Piers Cruickshanks
of the Dabulamanzi Canoe Club, and Siseko Ntondini of the Soweto Canoe and
Recreation Club, who won gold against all odds in the 2014 Dusi Canoe Marathon.
Produced by South African NGO Heartlines,
the film tells the story of the experienced and gritty but partly broken Steve
(played by Grant Swanby) and Duma, the lion-hearted rookie-come-upstart from
Soweto (played by Lemogang Tsipa) and the confluence of their journeys to
self-realisation.
The film’s success comes on the back of a
16-year partnership and social development project led by outdoor advertising
and integrated marketing specialists ADreach Group together with the Soweto
Canoe and Recreation Club (SCARC).
Ntondini, a long-time beneficiary of the
project at just 23 years old says, “Our club is not just about sport, it’s
about the lessons one learns through sport and how to apply it to our education
and chosen careers.”
Brad Fisher, Founder and CEO of ADreach
Group as well as the stalwart behind SCARC, insists that these priorities
remain paramount in the club’s ethos. “We are hoping that this story will
continue to inspire people around the globe to reach out, build bridges and go
beyond,” says Fisher.
Garth Japhet, CEO of Heartlines, says: “It
is with great pride that Beyond the River
has made it to London. This film was produced as part of our ‘What's Your
Story?’ initiative, a project inspiring and supporting ordinary South Africans
to get to know each other in order to build understanding and promote
reconciliation. Already thousands in workplaces, churches and schools have
experienced this magic. How fitting that the film screening should have
coincided with Freedom Day, commemorating the South African reconciliation and
nation building task that started 25 years ago.”
For more information, visit:
www.ADreach.co.za
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