Silwerskerm Film Festival 2024. (kykNET)
- The kykNET Silwerskerm Festival will showcase TV entertainment for the second year, alongside its traditional film premieres.
- Pilot episodes for four new TV shows, including the reality series Klein paradys and documentaries on Brasse Vannie Kaap and The Station Strangler, will debut at the festival.
- The festival, which runs from 28 – 31 August, includes workshops and exclusive previews and concludes with an awards ceremony at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
The kykNET Silwerskerm Festival, renowned for premiering brand-new films and fostering the growth of the local film industry, will once again extend its focus to television entertainment in 2024. This marks the second consecutive year the festival will highlight TV entertainment alongside its traditional film offerings.
READ | From shotgun shorts to feature films: What to expect at this year’s Silwerskerm Film Festival
Pilot episodes of four new TV shows that will be available on kykNET and Showmax will be screened at the festival, which runs from 28 – 31 August in Cape Town.
The lineup features a reality TV show, two documentaries, and a new season of the SAFTA-winning drama series Nêrens, Noord-Kaap.
1. Klein Paradys: Small space, big ideas (kykNET reality)
Preview: Wednesday, 28 August 18:00
Klein Paradys follows six designer pairs with 30 days to transform a 21 m2 micro-housing unit into five-star guest accommodation.
The series is directed by David Enright (Stella Murders, Devilsdorp, Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts), and Handrie Basson (Survivor SA) serves as executive producer.
Klein Paradys. (Supplied)
2. Brasse Vannie Kaap: The Untold Story (Showmax documentary)
Preview: Friday, 31 August, 17:00
Lauren Scholtz’s documentary delves into the influential South African music group Brasse Vannie Kaap and reveals its previously untold story.
Group members and local artists (Early B, Jack Parow, and others) reflect on BVK’s remarkable career and their impact on the local music industry. The film also takes a behind-the-scenes peek at a poignant concert by Grandmaster Ready D and DJ Azuhl as they honour BVK’s late frontman, Ashley Titus, alias Mr Fat.
The journey culminates in a special reunion performance that celebrates the group’s legacy while looking back at a unique period in South Africa’s history. Filming took place partly in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Brasse Vannie Kaap: The Untold Story. (Supplied)
3. The Station Strangler: The Haunting of the Cape Flats (Showmax documentary)
Preview: Thursday, 30 August, 20:30
This documentary delves into the chilling case of a serial killer known by the same moniker, suspected of murdering 21 young boys and one adult between the late 1980s and mid-1990s.
In 2023, Norman Simons, the man linked to these crimes, was controversially released on parole after being convicted for only one of the murders. His release has reignited deep-seated anguish and sparked outrage in a community that has long felt justice was elusive.
Directed by Nadine Cloete, the film features poignant interviews with the victims’ family members, leading investigators, and renowned forensic profiler Micki Pistorius.
The Station Strangler. (Supplied)
4. Nêrens, Noord-Kaap Part II
Preview: Thursday, 30 August, 17:00
Nêrens, Noord-Kaap captures the scenic beauty of Nieuwoudtville and Cape Town, focusing on the strained familial bonds between brothers and their estranged father.
“After a rickety journey back to their family farm, Nêrens, three brothers attempt to reunite with their father after years of estrangement. But how do you learn to love again when your mother’s death is still a bleeding wound in everyone’s heart?”, reads a press release.
Nêrens, Noord-Kaap Part II. (Supplied)
READ MORE | Here are the nominees for the kykNET Silwerskerm TV Awards