The award-winning Shepherds and Butchers won the coveted The Maverick Award for Best Feature Narrative and the Hasklell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography at the Woodstock Film Festival this past weekend.
“The Woodstock Film Festival is one of the most respected independent film festivals in North America. We are delighted that Shepherds and Butchers received the festival’s top feature film prize as well as the Best Cinematography Award,” said producer Anant Singh.
“These awards recognise the talents that have come together to craft the film under the expert direction of Oliver Schmitz. It is also a significant achievement as it’s the first time that a South African film has garnered these awards.”
#ShepherdsAndButchers wins Best Feature and Best Cinematography at WoodstockFilmFestival! #SteveCoogan, #AndreaRiseborough& @GarionDowds
— Anant Singh (@AnantSingh_Dbn) October 18, 2016
The drama opened the Durban International Film Festival this year, and was screened at last month's Jozi Film Festival.
It was the most talked about film at the festival, where in post screening discussions, festival goers commended the merits of the film. It also evoked conversation and debate around the issue of capital punishment.
The film is based on the book by Chris Marnewick, which is inspired by true events.
Helmed by award-winning director, Oliver Schmitz, the film is produced by Anant Singh and Brian Cox, who also wrote the screenplay.
It features talented rising star Garion Dowds alongside Academy Award nominee Steve Coogan (‘Philomena’) and Andrea Riseborough (‘Birdman’, ‘Oblivion’) with a host of well-known local actors Deon Lotz, Robert Hobbs, Eduan van Jaarsveldt, Marcel van Heerden and Sylvia Mdunyelwa.
• The film will be released at South African cinemas on Friday, October 28th by Times Media Films for Videovision Entertainment.
IOL and press release