| Director: | Jason Jacobs, Devon Delmar |
|---|---|
| Production: | Na Aap Productions (Deidré Jantjies, Annemarie du Plessis, Devon Delmar, Jason Jacobs) |
| Running Time: | 89’ |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Main Cast: | Gretchen Ramsden, Wilhelmiena Hesselman, Hendrik Kriel, Elton Landrew |
| Screenplay: | Jason Jacobs, Devon Delmar |
| Cinematographer: | Gray Kotzé |
| Editor: | Devon Delmar |
| Production Designer: | Cleveland Hopp |
| Costume Designer: | Cleveland Hopp, Woudine Dirkse |
| Music: | Frazer Barry, Devon Delmar, Mikhaila Alyssa Smith |
| Sound: | Lubabalo Bozo, Tim Pringle |
| Visual Effects: | Stephen Abbot |
Cinema
Carissa
Orizzonti
Synopsis
Carissa is a young woman living with her grandmother Wilhelmiena in a small village nestled in the Cederberg mountains. Wilhelmiena disapproves of Carissa’s lack of ambition and incessant phone use, which fuels their constant bickering. In an attempt to steer Carissa in a different direction, she drags her to a presentation by a business conglomerate, Mont Royale. They plan on taking over the community’s rooibos tea land to build a new luxury golf estate. The company offers education programs for young applicants, which Wilhelmiena sees as an opportunity for Carissa. Unexpectedly, Hendrik, Carissa’s long- absent grandfather, visits one evening. As a rooibos farmer affected by Mont Royale’s takeover, Hendrik offers Carissa the chance to spend time with him in the mountains before the land is gone. Wilhemiena opposes the idea. Nevertheless, Carissa causes trouble for herself and as a result, is driven out of the house by Wilhemiena one evening, compelling her to seek refuge in the mountains as her only available escape.
Directors' statement
Carissa began development in 2017. Carissa as a character and as a woman took on many faces and narratives. Out of years of hurt, anger, and confusion, Carissa begins the journey of accepting herself; this difficult journey of self-love is one we as writers-directors deeply empathise with. Through close collaboration with the Wupperthal community (Cederberg, South Africa) over six years of development, we recognised the impact the film would have there. We are forever grateful to the Wupperthal residents for their faith in us from the very start. In search of truth, we cast locals in leading roles drawing from their own experiences as mothers, herders, harvesters, and elders. With a skeleton crew, we adopted a semi-documentary aesthetic, allowing action to play out in front of the camera. We let the environment share with us what the story is.
Production/Distribution
PRODUCTION: Deidré Jantjies - Na Aap Productions
5E1 Springfield Terrace, off Roger Street
7925 Cape Town, South Africa
Tel. +27 724617792
info@diegeesindiemasjien.co.za
WORLD SALES:
Reason8 Films
PRESS OFFICE: Annemarie Du Plessis - Na Aap Productions
5E1 Springfield Terrace, off roger street
7925 Cape Town, South Africa
Tel. +27 823120988
annemarie@meria.co.za
