When time is not on your side, how do you make every moment count?
“Mr. Johnson”, a new film starring Paul Slabolepszy and Jana Cilliers, will have its South African premiere on DStv BoxOffice on Tuesday, 7 September. Viewers will be able to download the film with their PVR decoder and online.
A bitter-sweet drama, the film looks at the ways older people are ignored and invisible to society in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world.
The film follows the adventures of David Johnson (Paul Slabolepszy) who wakes from a 47-year coma at the age of 73. He has a hard time dealing with his aged body and the fact that he has missed out on more than half his life. But as he slowly makes his way into a strange new world, his youthful exuberance is undimmed and, with a little prodding, he tackles life, and love, with the energy of his 26-year-old self. With the help of a kindly internet café assistant, he tracks down his college sweetheart, Helena McCarthy (Jana Cilliers).
“’Mr Johnson’ is a drama, but the main character is quirky and unusual, adding a lot of comedy to the story,” says Collinson. “Paul Slabolepszy brings life experience to the role and has the vitality and enthusiasm of a 25-year-old even though he is in his 70s. Although loneliness is a theme, ‘Mr Johnson’ finds company in unique and strange places. The story tackles existential questions about the meaning of life, and the ‘fish out of water’ angle has wide appeal.”
‘Mr Johnson’ won the award for best feature at the Lonely Wolf: London International Film Festival. It also won the jury prizes for best film and best actor in a leading role at the Global Nonviolent Film Festival.
It the latest film from the Azania Productions stable (‘Broken Promises 4-Ever’, ‘Blessers’), and is written and directed by award-winning cinematographer, William Collinson (Double Echo, Last Broken Darkness). This is his feature film directorial debut.
“While we continue to social distance, it makes sense to release this charming and thought-provoking film to audiences in the comfort of their own homes,” says Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Distribution. “BoxOffice has broken many rental records during lockdown with people enjoying a big-screen movie experience while keeping safe. We are delighted to have the opportunity to release the film on such a popular platform.
Producer Aimee Dherman agrees: “With COVID-19 having changed the way we’re watching movies right now in favour of streaming services, we are happy that the film will have its local premiere on BoxOffice, where it will have a much wider audience.”
The film also stars Frank Rautenbach (‘The Bang Bang Club’), Sisanda Henna (‘Griekwastad’), Graham Hopkins (‘Eye in the Sky’), Jailoshini Naidoo (‘Keeping Up with the Kandasamys’), Carla Classen (‘Stroomop’), Drikus Volschenk (‘Dis Ek, Anna’), Antony Coleman (‘Blood Diamond’), Heike Brunner (‘Knysna’), Clayton Boyd (‘The Entity’), Marinus Gubitz (‘Onortodoks’), and Mila Guy (‘Wonderlus’).
Mr Johnson was made with support of the Department of Trade and Industry, National Film and Video Foundation and Indigenous Film Distribution.
Indigenous Film Distribution: www.indigenousfilm.co.za
Azania Productions : www.azaniaproductions.co.za
