"Moffie", the fourth film by South African director Oliver Hermanus, has scored three nominations at the 2019 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) for Best Director, Best Breakthrough Producer (Jack Sidey) and Best Cinematographer (Jamie D Ramsay).
“What a great way to get off a plane! It’s such great news to have our film included in the BIFA nominations today,” exclaimed Hermanus. “Being recognised is an honour and a real milestone for the film. We have had an amazing team come together to make this film, and to be celebrated and acknowledged in this way is truly wonderful.”
The British Independent Film Awards was founded by Elliot Grove and Suzanne Ballantyne in 1998, who also founded the Raindance Film Festival in 1993.
BIFA is a celebration of the best, most innovative and creative independent filmmaking and filmmakers in the UK. The Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, 1 December 2019 and will be hosted by comedian, actress and writer Aisling Bea.
In September "Moffie", produced by Portobello Productions and Penzance Films, garnered acclaim at the Venice Film Festival, where it had its world premiere. "Moffie" is the second film by Hermanus and only the fourth South African film to receive an official invitation to the Venice Film Festival in its 76-year existence.
This was followed by a sold out screenings at the London Film Festival in October where the film was in competition for the Best Film Prize.
Having received raving reviews from international press to date, Variety hailing the film as ‘Oliver Hermanus’ masterpiece’, "Moffie" will next feature at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece and the Stockholm Film Festival in Scandinavia. It will also premiere in Scotland, Ireland, Morocco and even Estonia, before heading for local screens on March 13th 2020
“The film is heartfelt and emotive, and I hope audiences will get a visceral experience. No doubt, for some, it will conjure up memories of their own time in the military,” says Hermanus. ‘It has been amazing thus far to see how the film is opening veterans of the SADF to speak about this time in their life for the first time.”
"Moffie" stars Kai Luke Brummer, Hitlon Pelser Matthew Vey, Stefan Vermaak and Ryan de Villliers. It is produced by Eric Abraham, Jack Sidey and co-produced by Theresa Ryan - van Graan.
"Moffie" will premiere in South Africa on 13 March 2020.