Durban - ASGAR Mahomed, the executive producer of the film Toorbos, and a team that worked on the project, are a step closer to breaking into the international market.
The film was selected as South Africa’s official entry for the 93rd Academy Awards (Oscars) in 2021.
The Afrikaans romance-drama, written and directed by René van Rooyen, was selected in the Best International Feature Film Award category. It is an adaptation of Dalene Matthee’s 2003 best-selling novel of the same name.
Set in the 1940s in Knysna in the Western Cape, the film is based on a wild forest woman, Karoliena Kapp, played by Elani Dekker, who is rescued from poverty by a businessman, Johannes Stander, played by Stiaan Smith.
As she falls in love with him, she realises she has exchanged her freedom for a cage and must choose between compromising for love and her own independence.
Mahomed, 51, of Centurion, said the project was conceptualised in 2016, but was started and completed last year. Earlier this month, the film, which has English subtitles, was screened in cinemas across the country.
The executive producer, who also owns an IT company, Esquire, and a courier logistics company, said the team decided to apply for the Oscars about four months ago.
“I had just mentioned to Dries Scholtz, who is also a producer, that we should apply and he agreed. So we made the application to the National Film and Video Film Board,” said Mahomed.
He said they were informed last week the movie was selected.
“It was an unexpected, but great surprise when they got back to us and said that we had been selected. Just the fact that we were selected speaks volumes and we aim to show the world the talent and skills that South Africa and those in the film industry have to offer. Our films are world-class. Winning the Oscar will open doors for us to get into the international film market."
The awards are scheduled to take place in April.
Mahomed, who has also worked as the executive producer on some of Leon Schuster’s movies, said he was currently in talks with directors and producers in Hollywood to produce a movie either in South Africa or Mauritius.
“However, due to Covid-19 all our plans have been halted."
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