Paljas

Paljas (meaning "magic" or to cast a spell,[1] English title: "The Clown"[2]) is an Afrikaans language South African film that was released in 1997. Paljas was written by Chris Barnard and directed by Katinka Heyns. It is based on the book of the same name.

Paljas
Directed byKatinka Heyns
Screenplay byChris Barnard
StarringMarius Weyers
Music bySue Grealy
Release date
  • 23 January 1997 (1997-01-23)
Running time
119 minutes
CountrySouth Africa
LanguageAfrikaans

Awards

The film was submitted for the 70th Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, the first South African submission since the end of Apartheid.[3][4]

Synopsis

The film revolves around the lives of the rural McDonald family. The household of Hendrik McDonald, stationmaster of the tiny Karoo town, Toorwater ("Magic-water"),[1] experience a number of unexpected situations when a travelling circus troupe leave behind a clown named Manuel. The intrigues of the story include the estranged relationship between Hendrik and his wife Katrien, partly due to her being admired by Frans Lombard. Meanwhile, their daughter Emma is discontented with her suitor, Nollie Kemp, and Willem, the household's youngest, remains withdrawn and refuses to talk. The continued presence of the eccentric clown, Manuel, is kept secret by Willem. Manuel is later cruelly chased and shot by some of the local community who consider him to be evidence of anti-Christian forces despite having succeeded in convincing Willem to communicate and healed much of the family's pain through his caring and fun nature.[5]

Cast[6]

Marius Weyers as Hendrik MacDonald

Ellis Pearson as Manuel

Jan Ellis as Nollie

Gerard Rudolff as Jan Mol

Aletta Bezuidenhout as Katrina MacDonald

Larry Leyden as Willem MacDonald

Liezel van der Merwe as Emma MacDonald

Marthinus Bason as Dominee

Ian Roberts as Frans

See also

Bibliography
  • Paljas (1998), Allmovie, Synopsis by Bhob Stewart, Access date: 27 May 2022
  • Paljas, Afi-Fest (World Cinema - "Description"), Access date: 27 May 2022
  • Paljas , Variety, Leonard Klady, 16 March 1998

References
  1. "The Road Less Travelled - Hoekplaas, Warmbad, Barandas" - Section: "Paljas the Movie" (with a photo from the movie set), Uniondale, Access date: 27 May 2022
  2. Encountering Modernity: Twentieth Century South African Cinemas, Keyan G. Tomaselli, Rozenberg Publishers, 2006, Page: 51 (with some explanations on the word "paljas").
  3. Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  4. "44 Countries Hoping for Oscar Nominations". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 24 November 1997. Archived from the original on 13 February 1998. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  5. Paljas-1998, Film.moviesaz (Trailer and Synopsis), Access date: 27 May 2022
  6. Paljas (1998) - Katinka Heyns | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 23 March 2023


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