In a world where there aren’t enough good female roles and there aren’t enough movies aimed at women. ‘Susters’, a film about three estranged sisters and how they sustain each other after the death of their mother, promises to be a breath of fresh air for local audiences. It’s also the first Afrikaans film in the ‘chick flick’ genre.
Producer Jenny Griesel has assembled a top team of women to bring this story to screen, starting with celebrated writing team Corine du Toit and Sandra Vaughn who have been responsible for a string of hits, including Semi-Soet, and a star-studded female cast comprising Diaan Lawrenson (Sink, Raaiselkind), Leah (Sterlopers), Quanita Adams (Jimmy in Pienk, Tess) and Annelisa Weiland (7de Laan).
“The film is testament to the depth of female talent we have in the local industry and their ability to both produce and tell stories aimed at women from a female perspective,” says producer Jenny Griesel. “This is an exciting time for women in the film industry and more and more we are seeing women celebrated around the world for their contribution to filmmaking.”
“Susters is made by a strong team of South African women,” says Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Distribution. “Things are slowly changing, and it’s great to see that here, much like in Hollywood, women are everywhere throughout the film industry, quietly getting on with their work and doing a great job. Women are increasingly in a position to change the local film industry and bring their own unique vision to the big screen.”
The chick flick is a powerful genre, here and internationally. Think global hits like ‘Pitch Perfect’, ‘Coyote Ugly’, ‘Sex and The City’, and the local hit film ‘Happiness is a Four-Letter Word’. In a similar vein, ‘Susters’ is essentially a film about human relationships in all their complexity, and it reflects women’s specific capabilities, charms, and complexities. “I was naturally drawn to this genre when contemplating my next film,” says Jenny Griesel. “Often films in this genre are the preserve of males and I just felt that women could offer a fresh take on it.”
Susters is directed by Corne van Rooyen (Hollywood in My Huis, Vaselinetjie) and produced by Jenny Griesel (Gat in die Muur, As Jy Sing) and Johan Vorster (Platteland, As Jy Sing).
The film opens in cinemas nationwide on 30 March.