The crime noir genre gets a distinctly South African twist in the new series “Donkerbos,” which premiered its first episodes this week as part of the Berlinale Series Market Selects lineup at the European Film Market.
The show begins when the bodies of six children are found in the forests of a provincial backwater town, and a local detective (Erica Wessels) is called in to investigate the shocking crimes. But as the series unfolds, she’s forced to wrestle with her dark past, her family and a distrustful community to catch the killer before another child is taken.
Written and directed by Nico Scheepers, “Donkerbos” is produced by Nagvlug Films and sold globally by MultiChoice, which bowed the show last year on its SVOD platform Showmax.
This marks the second year running that South Africa scored a coveted berth in the Berlinale Series Market Selects lineup, which showcases 16 series from...
The show begins when the bodies of six children are found in the forests of a provincial backwater town, and a local detective (Erica Wessels) is called in to investigate the shocking crimes. But as the series unfolds, she’s forced to wrestle with her dark past, her family and a distrustful community to catch the killer before another child is taken.
Written and directed by Nico Scheepers, “Donkerbos” is produced by Nagvlug Films and sold globally by MultiChoice, which bowed the show last year on its SVOD platform Showmax.
This marks the second year running that South Africa scored a coveted berth in the Berlinale Series Market Selects lineup, which showcases 16 series from...
- 2/22/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Award-winning South African drama “Good Life” is set for a U.S. release after sales agent Angel Oak Films inked a deal with distributor Level 33.
Set in Cape Town and Greece, “Good Life” tells the story of Olive Papadopoulous (played by Erica Wessels), a thirty-something year-old with a broken heart. Fleeing to a small town in Greece, she finds herself even more miserable thanks to the villagers’ hostility – until she hires a 7-year-old Albanian refugee, Jet (played by Caleb Payne) as her guide and negotiator. Before long, Jet becomes her friend too, teaching Olive how to live a “good life.”
Robyn Scott (“After Life of The Party”), Leon Clingman (“The Mauritanian”), Marco Mintaka (“What Lies Beneath”) and Sven Ruygrok (“Around the World in 80 Days”) also star in the film.
“Good Life” was written, directed and produced by Bonnie Rodini and is loosely based on Rodini’s own experiences. It represents her directorial feature debut.
Set in Cape Town and Greece, “Good Life” tells the story of Olive Papadopoulous (played by Erica Wessels), a thirty-something year-old with a broken heart. Fleeing to a small town in Greece, she finds herself even more miserable thanks to the villagers’ hostility – until she hires a 7-year-old Albanian refugee, Jet (played by Caleb Payne) as her guide and negotiator. Before long, Jet becomes her friend too, teaching Olive how to live a “good life.”
Robyn Scott (“After Life of The Party”), Leon Clingman (“The Mauritanian”), Marco Mintaka (“What Lies Beneath”) and Sven Ruygrok (“Around the World in 80 Days”) also star in the film.
“Good Life” was written, directed and produced by Bonnie Rodini and is loosely based on Rodini’s own experiences. It represents her directorial feature debut.
- 4/12/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Erica Wessels plays broken-hearted oral hygienist who flees Cape Town for Greece.
Angel Oak Films, the production and sales venture led by Pascal Borno and Alain Gillissen and based in Los Angeles and Brussels, has reported initial sales on South African drama Good Life.
Bonnie Rodini directed the story about Olive Pappadopoulous, a thirtysomething oral hygienist who flees Cape Town for Greece to try get over a broken heart and encounters local hostility and a seven-year-old refugee who teaches her how to live. Erica Wessels stars.
Deals have closed with Best Film in Poland, Twelve Oaks Pictures in Spain, and Level 33 in North America.
Angel Oak Films, the production and sales venture led by Pascal Borno and Alain Gillissen and based in Los Angeles and Brussels, has reported initial sales on South African drama Good Life.
Bonnie Rodini directed the story about Olive Pappadopoulous, a thirtysomething oral hygienist who flees Cape Town for Greece to try get over a broken heart and encounters local hostility and a seven-year-old refugee who teaches her how to live. Erica Wessels stars.
Deals have closed with Best Film in Poland, Twelve Oaks Pictures in Spain, and Level 33 in North America.
- 12/1/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
“The Woman in the Window,” the Netflix thriller and mystery starring Amy Adams, was watched for 500 million minutes online in its first three days, Nielsen said in its weekly streaming figures. It was good enough to top the list of film titles for the week of May 10, but was a quieter debut compared to some recent streaming hits.
“The Woman in the Window” placed just 5 million minutes ahead of “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” which had its third straight week among the top spots on Nielsen’s list after previously being watched for 853 million minutes the week of May 3. “Woman in the Window” and “The Mitchells” were also the No. 9 and No. 10 most streamed titles overall, behind popular series such as “Jupiter’s Legacy” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
That said, titles like the Michael B. Jordan thriller “Without Remorse” or the Melissa McCarthy comedy “Thunder Force” debuted far stronger, and it...
“The Woman in the Window” placed just 5 million minutes ahead of “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” which had its third straight week among the top spots on Nielsen’s list after previously being watched for 853 million minutes the week of May 3. “Woman in the Window” and “The Mitchells” were also the No. 9 and No. 10 most streamed titles overall, behind popular series such as “Jupiter’s Legacy” and “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
That said, titles like the Michael B. Jordan thriller “Without Remorse” or the Melissa McCarthy comedy “Thunder Force” debuted far stronger, and it...
- 6/10/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
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