Based on the book by André Carl Van Der Merwe, Moffie is a proudly South African Film that will take you back in time to an era of apartheid, pain and suffering. Produced by Oliver Hermanus this film is sure to grip you to your seat.
To be a moffie is to be weak, effeminate, illegal. The year is 1981, and South Africa’s white minority government is embroiled in conflict on the southern Angolan border. Like all white men over the age of 16, Nicholas van der Swart must complete two years of compulsory military service to defend the racist apartheid regime. The threat of communism and the so-called swart gevaar (black danger), the conscripts are told, are on their doorstep. Nicholas knows this is not the only danger he faces. The army is brutal, and his superiors pitiless, but when a connection forms between Nicholas and a fellow recruit, the harsh reality of what would happen if anyone found out reveals an even crueller wasteland.
I spoke to director Oliver Hermanus to give us some of his deeper insight of what it was like on set making such a profound proudly South African film and the challenges they had to overcome.
RUAN: Most people feel anxiety when they just hear the word “Moffie” that will take them back to the era when times were hard for young men in the army. Why the movie “Moffie”?
OLIVER: The film is based on a book of the same name. The book is a provocation to challenge the power and hurt that that word is capable of. We wanted to make a film that echoed that provocation and to step into our history to understand why that word is so toxic. We also wanted to make a worthy South African war film.
RUAN: What were some of the challenges producing/making such a deep movie?
OLIVER: Every movie is always a different kind of challenge. This one was my first period piece and so I was very challenged to bring a time and place that no longer exists back to life. This is two parts exciting, one part very stressful. But I think that our costume and production designers did amazing work to take a South African audience back to 1981.
RUAN: Would you say there were some emotional times on set for the cast and producers?
OLIVER: Definitely. The themes of this film are very human and very relevant and there were many times when certain scenes in the film were triggering for our cast particularly. Making work about our South African past it always going to access emotion.
HILTON: There definitely were. And I think those moments were maybe different for everybody. Being part of a film that really worked hard to re-create the reality of Apartheid, and with actors who are serious about their craft and method, everyone including myself, had to invest in an idea, for the scene at least, or to the extent of their method, that was incredibly inhumane and cruel. And to act, to some incredible extremes in the scenes, as a believer in an idea like Apartheid, I think you’ll see there are some scenes that I think were difficult for some of the actors to watch. Even though that was their job and it was so important for the actors to invest and make this story carry the weight it deserves. But I think it can be strange and even deeply emotional when you see yourself doing something and treating someone in ways you would have hated to see others treat people
RUAN: How much would you say society has changed since the days of being in army and for young men having to face criticism and bullying for being gay?
OLIVER: In the South African context we have had major and profound legal changes that legalise and protect the rights of gay South Africans which is an undeniably important achievement of our constitution. Our society is of course still riddled with fear and intolerance but I do think that this is best time in the history of the world to discover that you’re gay and find the friends and chosen family who can support and protect you. And so the attitudes and perceptions of straight people in society is becoming less and less relevant to the choices of the LGBTQI community.
RUAN: With bullying playing such a big role in our day to day life, what was it like making/ acting in a movie such as “Moffie”?
OLIVER: The film endeavours to explore the theme of shame and intolerance, so we were quite fired up to make something that challenges the way ‘moffie’ is used to harm and bully young boys and men.
HILTON: Especially back then in South Africa, and even still when I was younger growing up, ‘moffie’ was a term used to shame gay people but also to belittle, shame and bully anyone who didn’t fit in to a hyper masculine environment.
I think my experience was very different to everyone else’s, seeing as I played the “Bully.” But that’s not really how I see Sergeant Brand.
It was an interesting experiment, on the one hand we’re working as actors and on the other, some more than others, made it as real as possible on and off camera. And that was Oliver’s idea and it all kicked off with a two day bootcamp before production started. For the most part everyone invested in the idea that this was the army and we were in it. So the dynamics carried on for the most part on and off set.
RUAN: How important was it to cast such a powerful cast to carry through the right message?
OLIVER: Casting is 99% of my job. The film only works if we get the right cast, it’s paramount to the success of the film. We cast for nearly 18 months and our cast comprises of non-actors, trained and untrained actors, some of our actors were still at high school some were still in university and from all corners of South Africa.
RUAN: If you could sum up the movie in one sentence what would it be?
OLIVER: This is the story of a generation of men who were forced to hate and fear their fellow countrymen.
RUAN: What inspirational message do you hope the viewers will get from watching “Moffie”?
OLIVER: This is film about shame and indoctrination and it’s hope is to heal those wounds.
HILTON: Firstly, I hope people who love films and cinema will be inspired to look for more beautiful and poetic films. It really is an art piece and a deeply moving experience and I think that’s what film is supposed to do. And this film does it very well.
Secondly, I think one of the ideas of the film is to speak about what’s wrong. To address the dragons and acknowledge their existence. Which is the way one deals with trauma. So many people suffered insurmountably during the time this film is set in. And suffering makes you bitter, and bitterness makes you resentful, which leads to revenge and can end up somewhere very dangerous. It’s therapeutic to talk about and give attention to the things that are wrong and this film in a way gives an opportunity for a discussion to take place.
Be sure to catch “Moffie” in cinema’s from the 13th of March, you can watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMOycDIbNTg