Film festival headed to Jozi
AWARD-WINNER: SET TO OPEN A FEAST OF MOVIES The courtroom drama premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year.
The award-winning courtroom drama Shepherds and Butchers will open the fifth Jozi Film Festival on September 15 at Rosebank’s Cinema Nouveau. “It is an honour to have Shepherds and Butchers invited to open the Jfestival,” said the film’s producer, Anant Singh.
“The festival is an excellent platform for South African films, and has developed a profile to become one of the leading festivals in the country since its first edition five years ago.
Directed by Oliver Schmitz (Mapantsula, Life, Above All) and starring Brits Steve Coogan and Andrea Riseborough (Birdman) as opposing legal counsel, this film puts the death penalty on trial.
Set in 1987, when South Africa still had the death penalty in place, the film tells the story (based on real events) of a young white prison guard (Garion Dowds), who snaps after witnessing multiple executions and kills seven black men in cold blood. His lawyer, John Weber (Coogan) is a passionate opponent of the death penalty but how can he possibly win this law suit?
As the trial progresses, Weber questions legally sanctioned murder in what should be an open and shut case. How can one man be expected to be both shepherd and butcher, friend and executioner? Can Weber prevent the hangman from being hanged himself?
The film highlights how capital punishment was yet another way for the apartheid government to discriminate against the black population.
The film is still relevant in a country like South Africa, where people are calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty because of extraordinary levels of violence.
Shepherds and Butchers premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year. The screenplay is based on the novel by Chris Marnewick.
The film releases at cinemas countrywide on October 28.
The Jozi Film Festival showcases the latest films made by South African and international filmmakers. It is a non-profit organisation dedicated to enriching local culture.
The festival takes place from September 15-18 and films will be screened at venues throughout the city, including The Bioscope Independent Cinema. – Citizen reporter