GEORGE NUUS - Die bekroonde Afrikaanse film, Vaselinetjie, is vereer met 'n toekenning vir die beste humanitêre, narratiewe film by die Sedona-filmfees in Arizona.
Die draaiboekskrywer en regisseur, Corné van Rooyen, het die goeie nuus Maandagoggend ontvang toe hy op die webtuiste gaan loer en die volgende sien: "Directors' Choice Awards: Best Humanitarian (Narrative): My Name is Vaseline."
Die Sedona-filmfees se toekenningsaand was Sondagaand, terselfdertyd as die Oscars.
Van Rooyen en die mededraaiboekskrywer, sy vrou, René, kon ongelukkig nie die fees bywoon nie.
Familie van Anoeschka von Meck, die skrywer van die jeugroman waarop die film gebaseer is, woon egter in Amerika en kon heerlik terugvoer gee oor die vertonings wat op 27 Februarie en 3 Maart aangebied is.
Lees hul brief aan die Van Rooyens hieronder.
Corné and René,
Our "Sedona contingency" saw your film yesterday afternoon. Beautifully done, compelling, great performances conveying deep feelings through the challenges and turmoil. You achieved what is so very difficult when you take a book and make the characters come alive and weave them together, transforming words into pictures. Well done~!
When the credits came on, many from the packed audience continued to just sit in their seats, gathering their wits, thinking about what they had just experienced. I found it thought-provoking, compelling and my hope is that it brings to light the global challenges that must be overcome with racial divide and differences. Anoeschka presented such a perfect platform from which productive dialog could follow, wherever this film is shown or the books are read. It is no mystery why this book was required reading in high school. Like our Martin Luther King has said, "We must overcome!!"
We all wish you both continued success! You certainly are on the path.
I also meant to express how nicely you presented the question of faith that we can have, how at times it might be so difficult to believe that God made us this way ... perfectly .... just as we are. Beautifully done Anoeschka and Corné. You did so without the introduction of a whole lot of "religion" and did it so effectively. A viewer did not have to be challenged by a doctrine, yet, there was God woven into the story. Nicely done~!
Best from us all,
Uncle Richard
Kenneth Blogg, 'n vrywilliger wat die film se naam hoog hou.
Von Meck het gesê sy is opgewonde en dankbaar dat haar suster, wat saam met haar vriendin uit Kalifornië gevlieg het, en ander familie die vertoning kon bywoon.
"Dit was 'n groot eer om gekies te word as een van slegs 180 films vanuit meer as 12 000 inskrywings," het sy gesê. (Lees verdere kommentaar van Von Meck aanlyn).
"Met hierdie toekenning mag ons maar spog!" het Van Rooyen gesê. "'n Film het altyd 'n stem en 'n tema - die beste ding is as jy weet daardie tema strek oor landsgrense heen.
"Vaselinetjie het 'n baie tipiese Suid-Afrikaanse boodskap - die feit dat ons eintlik almal eenders is, ongeag ons ras. As jy agterkom wat jou doel is maak niks anders saak nie. Dit is nice om te sien dit vind ook oorsee aanklank."
Van Rooyen het reeds 'n Amerikaanse filmverspreider se belangstelling gelok, wat graag die film wil koop.
"Ons oorweeg dit verseker, 'n mens wil graag jou film verder as Suid-Afrika wys en dit sal interessant wees om te sien hoe dit in 'n oorsese mark doen," het hy gesê.
Beide aande wat My Name is Vaseline by die Sedona-filmfees vertoon is, was die teater propvol ondersteuners.
"Dit is ongelooflik hoe oorsese lande ander lande se films ondersteun," het Van Rooyen gesê. "Ons sukkel nog in Suid-Afrika met 'n filmkultuur."
Beide aande wat My Name is Vaseline by die Sedona-filmfees vertoon is, was die teater propvol ondersteuners.
Lees kommentaar van Anoeschka von Meck:
"One of our (myself and Corné's) biggest concerns were regarding the first screening of Vaselinetjie to an non-South African audience, was which 'story' will they be connecting with? Taking into consideration that an American audience cannot understand any of the humor or the many cultural references and accents, we had no idea what they would take from the story line?
I therefore consider it a precious confirmation from God that the movie ended up winning the humanitarian award which is recognition for the movie with the best, most impactful MESSAGE to humanity.
Anoeschka von Meck se oom dr. Richard Carmen het haar familie afgeneem waar hulle haar by die vertoning van My name is Vaseline by die Sedona-filmfees ondersteun het. Van links is Bruce en Joy Ullock (Von Meck se stiefma), Jo Carmen (Von Meck se tannie), Briana Richardson ('n vriendin) en Von Meck se suster, Rachel Theron.
I am thrilled and most grateful that my sister - who flew in with her friend from California - and other family members could attend the screening on our behalf as previous contractual commitments prevented either me or Corné and René from personally attending the festival.
It was a huge honour to be selected as one of only a 180 movies from more than 12000 entries."
Vaselinetjie vertoon tans by die Woordfees in Stellenbosch, met 'n laaste vertoning eerskomende Saterdag.
Lees verwante artikels:
'Ons bring jou die nuutste George, Tuinroete nuus'
