The Old Diocesan_Issue4_Oct2019 - Magazine - Page 23
ENTERTAINMENT
INDIE CIRCUIT
After being tagged in a Facebook post, Mitchell Christy (2016B) tells us
he experienced the adventure of a lifetime while filming Oliver Hermanus’s
internationally acclaimed movie Moffie. Set during the Border War and
based on the memoir by André-Carl van der Merwe, the film tells the
story of a gay conscript, played by Kai Luke Brümmer, who embarks on
his military service in 1981. Mitchell plays Killian Jones, a young private.
“It was an indescribable experience, and I truly mean that,” he says.
“It really is hard to put into words how sensational it was. This being my
first film and first professional gig, I went into it with thin knowledge of
what to expect – you can imagine how disoriented I was on the first day!
All around me were trailers and hundreds of cast and crew and extras,
big cameras and rigs, scorching lights … and huge banquets at lunch
time. It’s funny, but the catering is what really bowled me over.”
Moffie was invited to premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August,
and has been described by Variety as “a brutal but radiant story of young
gay desire on the Angolan war front”.
PHOTOGRAPH JAMES MARITZ
ON THE BIG SCREEN
In Issue 3 we interviewed Hollywood director
Donovan Marsh, who helmed the action epic
Hunter Killer, starring Gerard Butler and Gary
Oldman. Also playing in the A-list leagues is
Dave Wilson (1994O), director of Bloodshot, a
superhero movie based on the Valiant Comics
character, with Vin Diesel in the lead. Principal
photography began in Cape Town in August
last year, and the movie is set for release in
February 2020. Dave (pictured left, centre)
cut his teeth in visual effects at Blur Studios,
having worked on the 2015 Avengers: Age Of
Ultron, as well numerous video game trailers.
We hope to interview him in a future issue.
STARS OF
THE STAGE
In professional theatre,
Dean de Klerk (2013B)
starred in both the
Baxter’s Ordinary
Days as well as the
Fugard’s critically
acclaimed Kinky Boots,
which has been so well
received that its run has
been extended to 2020.
And, as per every issue,
Paul du Toit (1992W)
(pictured below) must
be mentioned. In May he
received the Naledi Award
for best performance
in a musical, for his role
in Hedwig And The Angry
Inch. That same month, he
entertained audiences in a
reprisal of Theatre on the
Bay’s Offbeat Broadway.
Paul is set to relocate
to Vancouver, which
has a prominent moviemaking scene – perhaps
another OD destined
for international lights…
