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Cooperation: Namibian Premiere of ”Layla Fourie” by Pia Marais
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The FNCC, in collaboration with AfricAvenir, presents the Namibian Premiere of ”Layla Fourie” (SA, 2013, 105 min), a sharply crafted psychology and character-driven thriller, directed by Pia Marais. An all-too-rare dose of female perspective from South Africa, about the post-apartheid nation still scarred by guilt, suspicion and lies.
Synopsis:
With Layla Fourie (SA, 2013), South African director Pia Marais has turned to the genre of the classic suspense thriller for her third film, which sees her returning to South Africa, the place of her childhood. The story centres on the title figure, the polygraphist Layla Fourie, who is given the opportunity of proper employment in a company specialising in lie-detection and security. As a single mother, Layla is forced to take her son Kane with her on the trip. However, as they head into the country and what Layla hopes will be the beginning of a real life, an accident occurs which will radically change their lives. A web of lies and deception become firmly wrapped around the young mother and her son and, as their trust is put to the test, it is perhaps just a matter of time before the truth will tear them apart...
“Layla Fourie is set in South Africa, a country that has gone through a complete upheaval“. Marais explains. “Firstly, it is a film about a young single mother and her son. Yet their relationship and how it evolves throughout the story reflects a certain atmosphere that prevails in this country. One of hope and yet shadowed by distrust.“ We shot the film in more rural parts of South Africa, north of Durban and in Johannesburg, a very cinematic city,“ Marais adds about shooting in her home country. „Obviously, South Africa went through a major change since my childhood there, so, for me, it is also a rediscovery“.
Layla Fourie features South African actors Terry Norton, Rapulana Seiphemo and is a debut for the young 9 year old Rapule Hendricks. It also stars August Diehl, who starred in SALT and INGLORIOUS BASTERDS.
Awards:
Special Jury Mention, Berlinale International Film Festival, 2013
Media: “Unimaginable to most non-residents, the paranoia that is part of living in South Africa is realized with subtle specificity in “Layla Fourie,” the third feature from Johannesburg-born helmer Pia Marais, and the first to be set in her home country.” – Variety
Technical Details:
Director: Pia Marais
Screenplay: Horst Markgraf, Pia Marais
Producers: Claudia Steffen, Christoph Friedel (Pandora Film Produktion)
Co-Producers: Jeremy Nathan and Mike Auret, Tom Dercourt, Frans van Gestel
Production Companies: Pandora Film Produktion (Germany) in co-production with Dv8 Films and Spier Films (South Africa), Cinema Defacto (Paris, France), Topkapi Film (Amsterdam, Holland) and WDR/ArteWith support from: Film-und Medienstiftung NRW, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, German Federal Film Board (FFA), CNC (France), The Netherlands Film Fund (Holland), Eurimages (Europe)
Featuring: Rayna Campbell, Terry Norton, Rapulana Seiphemo, and August Diehl
Cinematographer: Andre Chemetoff
Editors: Chris Teerink, Mona Brauer
Music: Bachar Khalife
Language: Original with English subtitles
African Perspectives, a monthly African Cinema series in Windhoek, organised by AfricAvenir since 2006, is supported by AfriCine, JacMat, the Franco Namibian Cultural Centre, Goethe-Centre/Nads, Turipamwe Designs and the FNB Foundation.