‘Sons of the Sea’, a new film directed by John Gutierrez, starts its Oscar-qualifying run on 15 October at Ster Kinekor, Tygervalley in line with the rules for qualifying films for the upcoming 94th Academy Awards, which require films to screen in order to qualify for nomination by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The film will premiere on DStv BoxOffice on 13 November.
It tells the story of Gabriel (Roberto Kyle ‘Knapsekêrels’, ‘Arendsvlei’), a gifted and virtuous but reclusive teenager from the poor fishing community of Kalk Bay in Cape Town, is pressured by his jaded older brother Mikhail (Marlon Swarts) to steal two bags of this ocean treasure from a dead man.
Tracked by corrupt government official Peterson (Brendon Daniels ‘Four Corners’, ‘iNumber Number’), the boys’ mission to sell the stolen goods takes them through the mountainous region of the fabled Cape of Good Hope, and into a fight for their own survival.
‘Sons of the Sea’ screened in March 2020 at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California. At the Durban International Film Festival in August, it won the award for Best South African Feature Film. The jury chose because it “poignantly displays the power of relationships for good and evil”. The ‘Sunday Times’ named the film as one of “the best of the fest”.
“Sons of the Sea tells a complex South Africa story and we are delighted to promote the film as a contender for South Africa’s submission to the Oscars,” says Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Distribution. “The performances are excellent, as is the cinematography.”
In making ‘Sons of the Sea’, director Gutierrez was inspired by John Steinbeck’s novel ‘The Pearl’ and the Mexican legend of ‘El Mechudo’, the greatest pearl free diver in Baja California, who aims to defend his title by diving deeper than ever before, but is found dead by his friends, with his hand caught in a giant oyster. Today, the ghost of El Mechudo haunts those who dare to dive for oysters in the Bay of La Paz.
The film is produced by Khosie Dali, Imran Hamdulay, David Horler (‘Flatland’) and John Gutierrez. It also stars Nicole Fortuin (‘Rage’, ‘Flatland’), supported by Sylvia Esau, Noor Emandien, Lamar Esau, Clark Han-Lung Lin and Chris Mbelembushe.
Sons of the Sea is distributed in South Africa by Indigenous Film Distribution.
Indigenous Film Distribution: www.indigenousfilm.co.za
