南アフリカコミュの南アフリカの映画3本、1本は日本上映中！

南アフリカの映画3本のご紹介です。

「輝く夜明けに向かって」（『CATCH A FIRE（原題）』）は、1月27日から日本公開中（シャンテシネ他）


トロント映画祭にてマスコミから絶賛を受けた『CATCH A FIRE（原題）』の日本公開中。

舞台は南アフリカ。
無実の罪に問われたのをきっかけに政府への反逆者としての生き方を選択した、南アフリカの英雄と言われる実在の人物・パトリックの軌跡を、実話に基づき描いた社会派サスペンスドラマ。

監督は『愛の落日』『裸足の1500マイル』のフィリップ・ノイス。
製作には『イングリッシュ・ペイシェント』のアンソニー・ミンゲラ、『愛と哀しみの果て』『ザ・インタープリター』のシドニー・ポラック。
主演は『ミスティック・リバー』のティム・ロビンス。



Powerfully telling the story of a South African hero's journey to freedom, Catch a Fire is the new film from director Phillip Noyce (The Quiet American, Rabbit-Proof Fence).
The political thriller takes place during the country's turbulent and divided times in the early 1980s, and in the new South Africa of today.
Derek Luke portrays real-life hero Patrick Chamusso.
Patrick is a charming and loving husband to his wife Precious (Bonnie Henna), and a caring father to his two young daughters.
He works as a foreman at the centrally located Secunda oil refinery, which is a symbol of South Africa's self-sufficiency at a time when the world was protesting the country's oppressive apartheid system.
In his spare time, Patrick coaches a local boys' soccer team.
Carefully toeing the hard line imposed on blacks by apartheid, Patrick is completely apolitical.
Academy Award winner Tim Robbins plays Nic Vos, a Colonel in the country's Police Security Branch.
The shrewd and charismatic Vos strives to maintain order in volatile situations, which have become more and more frequent as the outlawed activist organization African National Congress (ANC) rallies blacks against apartheid.
Vos is also concerned for the safety of his wife and two daughters.
He and his family live a world away from the Chamusso family　until the innocent Patrick comes under suspicion and is arrested (in June 1980) for sabotage of the Secunda oil refinery.
His alibi is compromised, and Patrick is desperate to shield Precious from a past indiscretion and keep his job. But he is ill-prepared to withstand brutal interrogations by Vos' men.
As Vos further insinuates himself into the lives of the Chamussos, to Patrick's shock and shame, Precious herself is jailed and tortured.
Although he and Precious are soon released from custody, Patrick is stunned into action and completely reorients his sense of self and purpose.
He leaves his family to join up with the ANC. Becoming a rebel fighter and political operative, Patrick is radicalized on behalf of his people and his country. He ultimately envisions a formidable and dangerous follow-up strike against the Secunda refinery, risking his own life and future.
Change must and will come, for Patrick and his family, and for South Africa itself.



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BEAT THE DRUM

南アフリカでも尤も貧しい州のひとつ、Kwazulu-Natal州の貧しい村から大都市ヨハネスブルクにひとり上京するMUSA少年。
数々の国際的映画祭で受賞した作品だそうです。

最後は、ほっとする感動の作品です。
アフリカ大陸で最も古い山脈であるDrakensberg Mountainの荘厳さ、美しさ！
貧しい中にも人としてのDIGNITYの大切さを思わされました。
日本で上映されたことがあるのか、される予定があるのかはわかりません。
どなたかご存知ですか？
鑑賞お勧めの作品です！



Young Musa is orphaned after a mysterious illness strikes his village. In search of his uncle and the truth about what is killing his people, Musa sets out for the big city. He sneaks aboard a truck driven by Nobe, a father of four girls but no boys, who tries to help Musa find
work in Johannesburg. However the streets are already teeming with other orphaned ‘street kids.’ Urged by his determination to survive and his growing social awareness, Musa finds a way to make an honest living and returns to his village with a truth and understanding his
elders have failed to grasp. An all South African cast and crew shine in this emotional and timely drama reminding us how one small voice can be the brave start of colossal change – uniting a village, a township, and even a nation.

In the vast expanses of South Africa in KwaZulu-Natal near the Drakensberg Mountains, 9-year old Musa (JUNIOR SINGO) sits by his mother’s grave. His father (LENNOX
MATHABOE) also lies ill from the unknown sickness. As he lies dying, he bestows hisyoung son with a gift -- a tribal drum that he was planning on giving him during better times.
Musa’s grandmother (MARY TWALA) consults the local Sangoma woman, (witch doctor) who tells her she must sacrifice Musa’s pet -- their only cow to save him. But the plan doesn’t work, and both the cow and his father die. Like countless other Zulu children, Musa is now an orphan.
Musa’s uncle works in Johannesburg so Musa decides to set out to find him to get help and buy a new cow. Thandi (DINEO NCHABELENG), his young cousin encourages him as she misses her father.
Taking meager supplies and carrying the precious drum his father gave him, Musa starts his long walk to the big city through the vast Afrikaan wilderness to the one solitary road that leads to Johannesburg. At a truck stop, Musa hides in the back of a truck going to the city.
The driver, Nobe (OWEN SEJAKE) soon realizes he has a stowaway and kicks him out. As Musa runs after the truck to retrieve his drum he left behind, Nobe sees him in his mirror and realizes he can’t leave the young boy all alone on the deserted highway.
Nobe, a father of four girls would love a son. He decides to take Musa to Johannesburg with him and on the road a friendship begins to develop. At the truck depot in Johannesburg, Nobe tries to introduce Musa to his Afrikaan boss, Mr. Botha (CLIVE SCOTT), the owner who only cares about his business. Botha doesn’t trust the street kids and throws Musa back on the street.
Meanwhile, Botha bickers with his son Stefan (TOM FAIRFOOT) for spending too much time helping his friend Frances Siswana (NTHATI MOSHESH), a humanitarian get the necessary papers together to start an orphanage.
Not feeling well, Stefan argues with his father that he is not interested in working in the truck business and would rather be doing something worthwhile helping the less fortunate.
Alone and in a big city for the first time Musa is overawed by the large buildings and the city crowds. He runs into Letti (NOLUTHANDO MALEKA), a street-wise young girl that travels with a gang for protection. She teaches Musa how to steal to survive, but Musa isn’t comfortable. He notices other street kids washing car windows at an intersection and knows he’d rather earn his money. He rummages around the city trash cans and finds a bucket and a rag to now join the other kids washing windshields.
It is a great day for Musa with a few coins in his pocket to show Letti his hard work has paid off. Their friendship grows. She takes him to where she lives under a dark freeway overpass.
Letti shows Musa the bracelet her mother made for her before she also died of the sickness.
Wise beyond her years from being on the streets, she explains to Musa that the sickness isn’t a curse, but a disease called AIDS. A few days later, Letti disappears, leaving only her bracelet on the ground under the bridge. Musa is crushed and alone again in the big city.
In the meantime, Mr. Botha’s son Stefan is rushed to hospital and is diagnosed as HIV positive. He slips into a coma.
Roaming the streets alone looking for Letti, Musa comes across “Letti’s gang” beating up another kid and steps into help but they jump on him instead and steal his money.
Outside Stefan’s hospital room, friends and colleagues gather and hold a candlelight vigil as Stefan quietly slips away.
Beaten and bruised, Musa sits under a tree at a loss about what to do next when Nobe drives by in his truck. Nobe invites Musa back on the road to help him with his deliveries and drives him back to his village and to his grandmother.
Musa proudly gives his grandmother his earnings from the city and asks permission to speak with the village elder (JEREMIAH NDLOVU) to share his knowledge about the sickness.
Returning he overhears his grandmother tell Nobe that she isn’t really his grandmother but is the only surviving adult to take care of the youngsters in the village. She asks Nobe to take Musa back with him as they cannot afford to feed him.
Nobe seriously considers adopting Musa who he has become very fond of. But when he arrives home he finds out his sister has also died from the sickness and they now have two more mouths to feed. His wife refuses to take Musa in.
Distraught, Nobe hits the nearest bar. He staggers out later that evening and knocks over Pastor Gophe (MOSHOESHOE CHABELI). The pastor invites him to his church. Musa
follows. Encouraged by their discussions, Nobe and Musa take to the streets beating their drums inviting others to church for a meeting to talk about “the killer amongst them.”
Back at the truck depot, Mr. Botha is trying to come to terms with the unexpected death of his son. Not wanting his loss to be in vain, he arranges for his workers to have free HIV tests. Scared and hesitant, the truck drivers are reluctant until Nobe finds the courage to step
forward to be tested.
Grateful to Nobe for stepping forward he asks him what else he can do in the fight against AIDS. Nobe reminds him of Musa, the kid he chased away who is still on the streets looking for his uncle. Mr. Botha realizes his uncle was a guard at the depot who had been killed recently and wants to help Musa find a new life, off the city streets. He arranges with his son’s friend Frances to take him into the newly opened orphanage which his son helped create. When he arrives he is unexpectedly reunited with an old friend.
AIDS has already orphaned more than 12 million African children.
In sub-Saharan Africa 30 million people have died from the HIV/AIDS virus since 1981.
Approximately 28 million people are currently HIV/AIDS positive.



FESTIVAL AWARDS

Urban World Film Festival – New York, NY Best Feature
Palm Springs Int'l Film Festival - California Best of the Fest
Monaco International Film Festival Best Feature
Best Newcomer (Junior Singo)
Best Director (David Hickson)
Best Supporting Actor (Owen Sejake)
FICI - Madrid, Spain Best Feature Audience Award
Schlingel Film Festival - Germany “Cinestar” Prize (Best Feature for
Children and Young Audiences)
Sedona International Film Festival - Arizona Audience Award – Int’l Feature
World Film Festival - Montreal, Canada Audience Award – Foreign
Reelworld Film Festival - Toronto, Canada Best International Feature
Pan African Film Festival - Los Angeles, CA Best First Feature (David Hickson)
Newport Beach Film Festival - California Best Cinematography
Best Actor (Junior Singo)
FESPACO - Burkina Faso, Africa SIGNIS Prize (Prize for Health and
Security at Work - City of Ouagadougou
Prize
Castellinaria Int'l Film Festival - Switzerland Opening Night Film
Fort Lauderdale Int'l Film Festival - Florida Special Jury Award
Black Harvest Film Festival - Chicago Audience Award
Golden Wagon Festival -- Fire Island, NY. Audience Award, Sliver Prize
Guerilla Film Festival - Washington, DC Best Picture
Best Director
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Music
US DOMESTIC PRESS COVERAGE
“Spectacular. Handsome well-crafted family drama…naturalistic performances...affecting
human drama…first-rate!” – Dennis Harvey, Variety
“Gorgeous, fantastic…audiences were enraptured…has the potential for greater success than
just the art house circuit.” – Joe Mader, Hollywood Reporter
“Junior Singo is a true star...like the young girl in “Whale Rider,” through his eyes and
experiences we are transported.” – Eugene Hernandez, Indiewire.com
“A gem…warm, affectionate…timely…breathtaking.” – C.W. Nevius, San Francisco
Chronicle
“BEAT THE DRUM is a film with a big heart and a vital message.” – Leonard Maltin,
Entertainment Tonight
“A cinematic miracle…warmhearted, uplifting…well written and lyrically filmed.” – David
Templeton, North Bay Bohemian
“Profoundly moving, with a heart as big as Africa, BEAT THE DRUM is a journey you will
simply love.” – Barry Morrow, Academy Award© winning screenwriter of “Rain Man.”
CNN has done a 9-minute segment about Beat the Drum on Kyra Phillips show, Live From.
To view go to: http://www.beatthedrum.com/CNN.htm



Production Notes

Young Musa is orphaned after a mysterious illness strikes his village in KwaZulu Natal. To help his grandmother, Musa sets out for Johannesburg with his father’s last precious gift, a tribal drum, in search of work and his uncle. The journey confronts him with the stark realities of urban life, yet his indomitable spirit never wavers; and he returns with a truth and understanding his elders have failedto grasp.
Introducing Junior Singo, who stars alongside Owen Sejake, Mary Twala, Clive Scott, and Noluthando Maleka, in Z Productions’ BEAT THE DRUM, a poignant and thought provoking story about survival, hope and compassion. It is about a little boy’s journey who leaves his Zulu village and sets out for the sprawling cosmopolitan city, a far cry from his quiet simple life in the bush. It is also
about a young boy’s journey to manhood.
The film also stars Dineo Nchabeleng, Tom Fairfoot, Nthati Moshesh, Jeremiah Ndlovu and Dini Nondumo. Produced by W. David McBrayer, Karen S. Shapiro, Richard Shaw, BEAT THE DRUM is written by W. David McBrayer and directed by David Hickson, who makes his feature film directorial
debut.
The inspiration for BEAT THE DRUM came from when producers McBrayer and Shaw were in East Africa in 1999 filming the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) television series “Hope for Africa,” a powerful hard-hitting series highlighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa. “We saw these street kids there and when we came to South Africa, we saw the same thing – homeless, hungry young kids,” says producer Shaw. “But there is not a lot of sympathy for them,” added writer/producer McBrayer, “and we wanted to find a way to give a voice to people who don’t normally have a voice.”
Approximately 30 million people have died from AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, and, as a result, there are about 12 million orphans. “It was a learning experience for us about what was truly going on,” says Shaw. “As we studied more, the real extent of the problem becomes overwhelming – the numbers are the equivalent of seven major US cities being wiped out!”
During their research for “Hope for Africa,” the filmmakers were introduced to Sandra Thurman, Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy at the White House during President Clinton’s administration. “Sandra was extremely gracious and very helpful and provided us with reams of materials, containing staggering facts and figures which we eventually drew upon and included in BEAT THE DRUM,” explained David McBrayer.
All these incidences are actually based on real facts. “We couldn’t believe it - the number of different ways people were getting the disease was incredible and most of the time it was because they weren’t educated and they didn’t understand what the disease was really about,” Shaw observes.
Some of the topics in BEAT THE DRUM stem way back to those early studies; “We discovered kids in schools were being raped by their teachers, truck drivers were spreading the disease from one country to another - a lot of the truckers were having little trysts with hookers fivesix times a day, every time they stopped! Even their wives would put condoms in their lunch boxes and send them off to work but a lot of times they didn’t get used! adds Shaw incredulously. “You have to understand that truly one of the biggest problems are the truckers so we utilized a trucker called Nobe played by Owen Sejake to help illustrate a very real situation,” noted McBrayer.
During their time in Kenya while filming “Hope for Africa,” the filmmakers had an exclusive audience with President Daniel Moi at his private estate. They were met by armed guards carrying machine guns and escorted into the compound to his private chambers. At the time President Moi was extremely unpopular and was taking a lot of heat in the media for the AIDS epidemic as well as “sex-for-grades” - it was reported children in schools were being raped to get better grades.
In was during this meeting when the filmmakers were discussing their television series that they asked the President what else they could do to help highlight the gravity of the situation to the people of Africa – “make me a cinema about AIDS that would scare them to death” was his response.
On their way back to the airport they discovered from their cab driver their interview had been televised without their knowledge and that their meeting was all over the news stations in Kenya.
The filmmakers realized from their television experience that African people really learnt through storytelling and got a better understanding of a situation through pictorial images. It was therefore important to create a movie that would be a dramatic depiction and resonant with the African people how it would affect their lives rather than an educational approach like “Hope for
Africa.”
They also recognized through their research they were dealing with century old traditions and that it would require a very delicate approach to get the messages across without preaching.
It was also extremely dangerous for people to openly talk about the disease. A UNAIDS newspaper clipping confirmed this with the tragic story of Gugu Dalamini, an AIDS activist who had come out publicly announcing she had AIDS in support of the campaign but as she left the platform she was beaten to death by a mob.
Yet the incredulous stories continued about the ways the disease was spreading – the same unclean knife was being used on children being circumcised as the doctor went from village to village, so if one child had the disease they all got it. In Botswana, during their Jubilee celebration they would swap wives for a day or a week, so if they didn’t have AIDS at the time, they did afterwards. In fact, 40% of the population in Botswana is infected with the disease which equates to one-in-three with the average life expectancy being less than 40 years. The entire population is only 1.7 million people so unless something drastic takes place, the whole country could be wiped out.
In 2000, SABC aired “Hope for Africa,” in Swaziland and more newspapers were sold that day in the paper’s entire history because of the special brochure that was produced to accompany the series.
Later on the Queen of Swaziland fully endorsed BEAT THE DRUM, hosting a special screening in a 5,000 seat stadium. The Queen went on to ensure that every school in her country included the film as part of their curriculum. To date, early figures are showing that the number of
new AIDS cases in Swaziland have dropped crediting the impact of BEAT THE DRUM.
In 2000, the filmmakers won the Global Association for Independent Television (GAIT) Best Drama Award for their pilot television series “Postcards from Heaven.” McBrayer had co-written with R.J. Colleary (M.A.S.H., Golden Girls) a heart-wrenching episode about a young Russian girl desperately seeking medical help.
“It became so clear to me,” says McBrayer, “that telling a story about AIDS seen through a child’s eyes allows you to highlight issues that normally are tough to handle head on. You are not inhibited by politics and you can get a point across without offending people.”
Holed up in his native city of Atlanta for four to five months, McBrayer perfected the script.
Once the script was completed the filmmakers connected with line producer Lance Samuels at New African Media Films (NAM) at Sasani Film Studios in Johannesburg to assist with preparations.
“The film deals with a very delicate topic. It is harsh topic to begin with and not the kind of topic people in Africa openly talk about,” observes Samuels. “This was our biggest challenge - to overcome the controversy perceived by locals when dealing with such a sensitive topic.”
“The beauty about BEAT THE DRUM,” he adds “is, it takes an important subject and shows it through the eyes of a little boy who is caught up in the whole problem and captures it in an entertaining and thought provoking way.”
The next biggest challenge was casting the role of Musa. The underlining theme of BEAT THE DRUM is hope and the incredible power of one little boy who brings hope, compassion and understanding to the devastating epidemic that is threatening the continent of Africa. “An enormous responsibility and the whole key to the success of the film,” noted McBrayer.
The filmmakers auditioned for Musa all over South Africa from Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and out into the countryside. “We just couldn’t find the right talent,” continued McBrayer. “We saw hundreds of little boys and we began to feel we weren’t going to be able to make the picture.” Then nearly a week before production was scheduled to begin they received a call from a mutual friend to say they had found Junior Singo. ‘He was the very last boy we auditioned – he is a natural, you fall in love with him instantly,” beams McBrayer. “He has done a fantastic job!”
Junior Singo wasn’t the only key factor eluding the production. About the time Junior came on board, the production lost its director due to scheduling conflicts.
“I woke up in the middle of the night wandering what an earth we were going to do,” confides producer Shaw. “I remember the next day Lance Samuels came to us to say he had found three possible candidates but two had bowed out so we really only had one – so here is his demo tape!” chuckles Shaw in retrospect. “We hired David Hickson on the spot and we started filming three days
later!”
It was Hickson’s short “Angels in a Cage” a very emotional tale about sexual and abusive relationships that the producers had watched. Taking the helm of BEAT THE DRUM as his first outing about a nine-year old orphan dealing with AIDS and surviving on the streets was a natural
transition for Hickson. His credits also included the Rape Crisis successful public service announcement that had a huge impact when it premiered and still occasional plays 12 years later.
“David is very gentile, and has a very calming influence. He immediately bonded with Junior and the other actors,” notes McBrayer. “It is a South African story told by a South African filmmaker.
He has truly been able to capture and evoke so much emotion for the camera. He is a real find…a gem.”
“It was great pleasure working with such fresh raw talent,” Hickson says. “It was like having a clean palette.”
Having already had the experience of working with young South African actors before, he knew the most important thing when dealing with such a difficult subject matter was to spend time with them. “I said to Junior on the very first day that we were going to get to know each other very
well and extremely quickly so we could trust each other,” says Hickson. As there had been no rehearsal time, Hickson spent as much time as possible with his young actors to create detailed back stories for their characters.
Hickson found that Junior’s life was very different to the life of his character Musa. He had very supportive parents, attended a great school and his father even drove a BMW so had very little
or no exposure to AIDS personally.
“I was having conversations about some really difficult and sensitive issues that you don’t normally talk about with 12 year olds,” Hickson reflected. “I decided early on to approach the subject directly so that their performances are very real and they have a real understanding about what they are doing.”
“We were aware that we were walking a very fine line – drawing people in through emotions and making sure we were expressing ourselves subtly rather than being very unsubtle and unbearable to watch – it was a constant balance,” Hickson continues. “It was important to put the
messages in the background so we do not preach to our audience.”
A number of extras that were used for the church scene towards the end of the film were literally off the streets so many of them had HIV/AIDS.
“Storytelling can be very powerful in Africa,” says Hickson, “so while we were working in the church, the extras became interested in what the BEAT THE DRUM story was about. Through telling them the story it became very apparent that this was indeed a very effective way of communicating and relaying the underlining message to the locals themselves.”
“The biggest problem is staying silent. Not talking about it and ignoring it. There is a tremendous public awareness going on but people on a personal level still do not talk about it. It is far more emotional on a more personal level,” concludes Hickson.
BEAT THE DRUM is an emotional journey of a little boy – a universal story yet culturally specific. The film’s biggest message is… know the truth, don’t live in ignorance.
Shot on Super 35mm, BEAT THE DRUM was filmed on locations all over South Africa, including Johannesburg, downtown, Soweto, KwaZulu Natal, Drakensburg Mountains with a complete South African cast and crew that captured the stunning landscapes and wildness to create a vivid and authentic backdrop.
The production began its 26 days of principal photography at the notorious Muti Market, a haven for the homeless kids chosen to depict the real flavor and ambience. Located underneath the freeway under pass in downtown Johannesburg, the eclectic Muti market emits odors unimaginable from the array of unthinkable products on sale including dead animals and human body parts for the range of concoctions used by native medicine men for curing various diseases.
BEAT THE DRUM was filmed during the South African winter in July where temperatures drop to a bitter 40 degree Fahrenheit overnight. In fact, the production was held up one morning when the crew discovered a homeless man had frozen to death on the sidewalk over night.
“I remember buying jackets for $20 at the local flea market,” says producer Shaw. “There would be these kids like Musa standing at the intersections and there was one particular kid wearing
only a plastic shopping bag and shorts. We gave him a jacket because we knew he would be dead by morning if not; and as we drove away we heard the other kids taunting him give me your jacket man. We saw him a few days later without the jacket. It was heartbreaking.”
BEAT THE DRUM truly portrays the children of Africa the way so many are - in their school uniforms, walking miles to go to school. They are very bright - speak several languages – they are just under privileged. Very different from the way they are portrayed in America.
“We hope BEAT THE DRUM brings a better understanding of Africa and about the subject of AIDS,” contemplates McBrayer.


CAST

Junior Singo, “Musa”
A native South African from Soweto, Junior Singo is 14 years old.
In 2002, he started his acting career with his first feature film Beat the Drum, in which he played the lead role of “Musa.” After successfully playing this role, he immediately secured roles in two more films, The Wooden Camera and the soon-to-be released feature In My Country in which he plays Samuel L. Jackson’s son. Mr. Singo loves to play soccer and table tennis. He enjoys reading and acting and aspires to one day be a top South African actor.


Owen Sejake, “Nobe”

Owen Sejake has had a lengthy career as an actor, performing in roles in film, television and theater including last year’s Academy Award winning film Tsotsi. His film career includes such international films as Ocean Harvest, Mandela and De Klerk, Africaine Adventures, Shot Down, Crime in Gabon, and director John Boorman’s film Country of My Skull.
Mr. Sejake television career includes performances in: Justice For All, Yizo Yizo, Saints, Sinners and Settlers, Soul City IV, Black Velvet Band, So Hard To Forget, Deafening Silence, Masakeng, Oedipus Rex, African Skies, The Line,Going Up
Mr. Sejake has extensive experience as a theater actor as well and in 1993 received the Vita Nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. He speaks several languages including S. Sotho, N. Sotho, Tswana, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and English.

Mary Twala, “Ntombi”

Mary Twala, one of Africa’s most respected actors, has had an extensive career as an actor, performing in roles in film, television and theater. Her film career includes such international films as: A Love in Africa, Malunde, Dr Lucille, Nyaka-Nyaka, Ngaka, Deliwe, Friends, Game for Vultures, Taxi to Soweto (in which she won a Best Supporting Actress award) Waati, Science Classic, and Sarafina.
Ms. Twala’s television career includes performances in many South Africa productions including: Deliwe I,II,III,IV, Undenzani Melwane, Iqhawe I & II, Die SonKriel, Hlala Kwabafileyo, Khululeka, and Nyaka-Nyaka.
Ms. Twala has also received the PAWE Veteran Recognition Award and ArtisticRecognition of Excellence Award from the USA.


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FAITH　LIKE　POTATOES

この映画もBEAT THE DRUM同様、Kwa-Zulu Natal州が後半の舞台です。
この映画にも美しいDrakensberg Mountainの景色が出てきます！
スコットランド系の白人移住者ANGUSが妻子とともに、新天地を求めて南アフリカのKwa-Zulu Natal州に、いわば再移住。しかし、数々の困難に出会う。
心がすさんでいく彼。希望を失いかける彼。そして、、、



The filming of an inspiring movie of a farmer’s journey to love, hope and faith as wrapped in the heart of Kwa-Zulu Natal’s Midlands.
The movie is based on the true story of Angus Buchan, a Zambian farmer who travels south in search of a better life to settle in Kwa-Zulu Natal with his family.
As he struggles to establish himself in a new country, an encounter with God changes his perspective on life.

Whether rejoicing when prayers are answered, or mourning a tragic death, he becomes a man of faith, like his potatoes that grow underground, unseen until the harvest.

He makes the trek with his heavily pregnant wife, Jill, and their three children, and settles near Greytown.
With nothing more than a caravan on a patch of land, and help from his foreman, Simeon Bhengu, the Buchan family struggle to establish their lives in a new country.

Angus faces the many challenges with increasing agitation and anger, until an encounter with God brings him a new perspective on life and he feels compelled to share with others what he has learnt. H
e experiences both amazing answers to prayer, but also the darkest of days with a tragic death in the family.
Through both good and bad on his inspiring life journey he becomes a man of faith, like his potatoes that grow underground, unseen until the harvest.


Angus Buchan wrote and published the book ‘Faith like Potatoes’ in 1998.
He still lives with Jill on the farm Shalom, in Kwa-Zulu Natal, and they farm there with their family and an ever growing community of people.
Although Angus has become a travelling evangelist with a passion to take the Gospel right through Africa, his impact is seen very strongly in the district of Greytown, where they farm.

Their farm, where they live in community with many people, serves as a fantastic working model for any African farmer.
They have been running a children’s home for abandoned or orphaned children on the farm for almost ten years, and they raise the children as their own.
They oversee a 200-pupil school that is situated nearby and have many projects that assist people in the district.


Faith Like Potatoes

The film opens with Angus Buchan leaving his Zambian farm in the midst of political unrest and traveling south with his family to start a new life in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
With nothing more than a caravan on a patch of land, and the help of his foreman Simeon Bhengu, the Buchan family struggle to settle into a new country.
Faced with ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil, Angus quickly spirals down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction.
It is after hearing the testimony of another farmer at the local Methodist church, that Angus commits his life to the Lord.
God then begins to turn this aggressive, high-strung farmer into a fiery, faith-filled evangelist.

The film depicts some incredible miracles that God accomplishes through and around Angus.
Perhaps, the most awe-inspiring part of the film is the point when, through the prayer of Angus, God raises to life a farm worker who had been struck dead by lightning.

While the heart of the Gospel, that man is a sinner and can only be changed because of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, is neglected, the message that God can transform lives comes through clearly in the film.

The title of the film comes from a famous American lecturer who used to tell his students that they needed “faith like potatoes”.
He meant they needed to have faith with flesh and substance.

Based on the inspiring autobiography by Angus Buchan, the story was adapted for the big screen by Regardt van den Bergh.
It weaves together the moving life journey of a man who, like his potatoes, grows his faith, unseen until the harvest.
Van den Bergh is best known around the world for directing the “Matthew” film (based on the Gospel of Matthew).

Angus Buchan wrote and published the book “Faith like potatoes” in 1998.
It continues to touch people from all age groups, social groups, background and cultures as is evident by its continued sales and the number of emails, faxes and letters Angus continues to receive from readers.
Angus and his wife, Jill continue to live on their farm ‘Shalom’ in Kwa-Zulul Natal, where they are actively involved in the community, serving as a fantastic working model for any African farm.
The Buchans run a Children’s Home on the farm for abandoned or orphaned children, a project which has been going on for almost ten years.
They also oversee the running of a 200-pupil school situated nearby.

Faith Like Potatoes is refreshing, relevant and real.
The cinematography is excellent and the acting is of a high quality.
In South Africa , we face many seemingly impossible situations and need many miracles.
This inspiring story of faith and perseverance gave me hope.
We need the bold faith of Angus Buchan, who had the courage to take ‘faith risks’ when it counted most.


Faith Like Potatoes wins International Awards
As a very popular Festival it has the patronage of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and is organised by FICTS (The Federation International Cinema Television Sports)

The awards were presented by festival director Ritesh Sinha, where close to 32 countries participated.
Faith like Potatoes received the “Golden Ten Award” for the best non-sport feature film.

This marks the young production companies’ third international award for Faith like Potatoes having contended in the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the Australian International Film Festival and the Sabaoth International Film Festival in Italy, where it took home the ‘People’s Choice' Award.

Locally Faith like Potatoes continues to motivate and inspire audiences.
Based on the autobiography of Angus Buchan and adapted to the big screen by Regardt van den Bergh, it tells the moving life story of a Zambian farmer of Scottish heritage, played by well-known South African actor, Frank Rautenbach (Tiaan from 7de Laan).

It also recently won the Best Film Award at the Kingdom Film Festival held in Durban, where local filmmakers are offered a platform to have their work screened at a mainstream cinema to showcase their talent. The festival operates under the tag-line “our vision our stories”, and is specifically mandated to promote local South African filmmakers and screen performers.

The Faith like Potatoes double DVD has managed record sales with 35 000 copies sold after a mere 2 months, making this film the second highest DVD seller for a SA production after Tsotsi, which sold 51 thousand copies locally. Frans Cronje, Producer of Global Creative Studios is confident that they will sell more than 100 000 copies, and with the string of recent successes behind them this figure could well be underway.

Frans Cronje also calls on the public to be aware that illegal copies of the film are being sold on street corners. He says, "It is disappointing to see piracy pop up it is ugly head and I appeal to the South African public for their support in not buying pirated copies".

The DVD is available in most major retail stores nationwide in South Africa or you can order your copy online at www.faithlikepotatoes.co.za