Daniel E. Dercksen talks to writer-director Regardt van den Bergh about his latest film, Faith Like Potatoes

If there's one man whose faith is restored in the South African film industry, it's writer-director Regardt van den Bergh, who directed Faith Like Potatoes from a screenplay he adapted from Angus Buchan's bestseller of the same title.
Talking to Regardt van der Bergh in the tranquillity of the mountain regions in the Western Cape, you meet a man who is at peace with the world.
Buchan's book planted the seed for Global Creative Studios' independently financed R10 million groundbreaking film, which begins its journey in cinemas nationwide on October 27, as well as school halls, churches and even tents in remote areas where there are no cinemas, before taking a second breath when it will be immortalised on DVD in December.
With so many local films trying to break into the international arena and sacrificing its African identity, it's inspiring that Faith Like Potatoes is indeed a film about South Africa, for all South Africans and one that will undoubtedly reach far beyond our borders.
Based on the true story of Buchan, a foreigner who became a farmer in KwaZulu Nata; a man who, during a time of hardship, became an evangelist and miracle worker. It is the touching and moving story of a man who lives for his family, and is also the story about a man who lives for his people.
Faith Like Potatoes clearly shows how possible it is to transcend racial and cultural boundaries and ascend to a harmonious common ground where reconciliation creates a peaceful existence.
The film shows what it is like to be human, and how our humanity can sometimes prevent us from living in harmony and allow a spiritual existence to control our destiny.
It was about four years ago that producer Frans Cronje approached van den Bergh to assess it as a viable film.
"My heart is full with this film," says van den Bergh, who was touched by "the extraordinary drive of the character."
"The things that happened to him were the elements that I thought would make for an extremely exciting and inspiring film," says van den Bergh, who found that he could relate to the subject matter as a director.
"As a filmmaker, for me it is the most exciting thing to tell a true story and, in the telling of the story discover the integrity of the story and remain true to that without compromising anything of that person's life.  For me it was not a challenge, but something exciting to look forward to, to tell a story of somebody who walked the walk of faith. I think sometimes he didn't even know it. I don't think he knew it 90% of the time and I could relate to that."
Van den Bergh's biggest challenge was writing the screenplay.
"The challenge here was to take the story, put it into a story structure that would the semblance of a feature film without compromising that integrity of the man's life.  For me it was important not to go and try and dig up extraneous things, like apocryphal things to the central theme."
A major advantage for Van de Bergh is that he started out as an actor in the 70s and became a star on television before making his film debut as director with Boetie Gaan Border Toe, and reaped early success with Vyfster (the series and the film).
"As an actor, and also as a director who likes directing actors, it's the discovery of truth in that moment. It's the exploitation of that truth to its end degree to relate it to an audience, to convey that to an audience, to make it so real, so tangibly real. "
What excites him most about the process of making a film is the teamwork.
"It's been like that for all my movies. It's getting a bunch of people together. we don't know one another and then we start this journey, this adventure. Building and constructing and designing and forging this piece of art out of nothing. And we're all doing our bit. It was really awesome."
He is extremely excited about the future of making films in South Africa, particularly how the craft of filmmaking has evolved.
"I am really enthused by the young people and the way they are getting their movies together. They get ideas, they write scripts. I've spoken to many students coming out of film schools, these guys have an enthusiasm and a drive to get these things done. Darryll Roodt was one of the first guys to show us that if you can get a great idea you will find someone to run with you."
The advance of technology equally excites him, having filmed Faith Like Potatoes on HD, which will allow for the film to be screened digitally and on DVD.
"The new technology excites me; the liberty you have as a director because of the new mobility that you have. There's freshness and quickness to making a movie now. You can do a lot more in six weeks than what I was able to do with a 35 mm movie in days gone by."
Van den Bergh's influence of European filmmakers is evident in Faith Like Potatoes.
His passion for European film and filmmakers the likes of Bille August, Ingmar Bergman
Yimou Zhang,  Werner Hertzog, Wim Wenders, Istvan Szabo and Miklos Jancso, began when he attended the Cannes Festival in the seventies on a 'scholarship' as a journalist.
"There was something foundational that happened to me then. I knew about these weird directors, but I had never seen any of their work.  I had the wonderful opportunity of seeing these films that I've been reading about. "
His initial rebellious nature as a young filmmaker has now matured.
"Those days it was sex, drugs and rock and roll," he recalls, talking about his early beginnings. "I wanted to really change the world with blood and guts and gore, the Quentin Tarantino type of things, now, maybe because I'm older, I'm more mellow."
Van den Bergh admits unashamedly that he is "a total film freak". For him, film is everything.
He inherited this passion from his father, who was "an absolute film buff", and watched roles of Super 8 films from the silent era, with stars like Keaton, Chaplin and Lloyd having a great impact on his career as actor and filmmaker.   
"That gave me such a love for I call the shadows on the wall that make pictures," he remembers fondly.
Have we perhaps lost that magic?
"We haven't lost it altogether," he says, filled with hope. "There are filmmakers who are retaining that essence of moviemaking which is to me the capturing of reality."
Although he is now more inclined toward making an 'art film', he admits that this was not what branded him as a filmmaker.
"I've not really made those kind of movies. Boetie Gaan Border Toe, Vyftster. They were all kind of ... just stories  ... not really a comment on society I'd like to do, like make a movie that has more substantial value for later years. I do think this movie has some of that. Faith Like Potatoes is not just entertainment. There's more to it."
He sincerely hopes that audiences watching Faith Like Potatoes will take home a message of hope.
"Not to give up. Whatever dream it is that they have, it's a possible dream.  Especially that moment where it is impossible, it is not even a question of it seems impossible, where you just know it's impossible."
Van den Bergh hopes that the film will show audiences that despite difficult time, it's important to "transcend that moment to go through and push through".
"That's what's amazing about how Angus lives his life I think. It's to the day, whatever trial."
His future plans include the feature film The Lamb, about a first Century Jewish family, which he has been writing and working on for several years, and will direct.
Although he has interest from an American investor, he fully believes that it would be possible to make the film in South Africa.
Is there still something that he hopes to achieve?
"I would love to make an Afrikaans movie and I would love to make comedy again. I really love comedy; I love making those 'Boetie Gaan Border Toe' movies. I would really like to carry on making movies that would touch the lives of people. That will make people just consider for a moment their situation and maybe by whatever the movie says, applying it to their lives and adapting or changing accordingly. Movies that would make your life change for the better."

Copyright © 2006 Daniel E. Dercksen

QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH REGARDT VAN DEN BERGH

You could relate to the story as a director?
As a filmmaker, for me it is the most exciting thing to tell a true story and, in the telling of the story discover the integrity of the story and remain true to that without compromising anything of that person's life.  For me it was not a challenge, but something exciting to look forward to, to tell a story of somebody who walked the walk of faith. I think sometimes he didn't even know it. I don't think he knew it 90% of the time and I could relate to that."

What was your biggest challenge on Faith Like Potatoes?
The challenge here was to take the story, put it into a story structure that would the semblance of a feature film without compromising that integrity of the man's life.  I did a little bit of research, I did not do much. I spoke to him. For me it was important not to go and try and dig up extraneous things, like apocryphal things to the central theme, which was in the book. So the book was for me was the foundation of the whole thing. I related according to the book, that's mostly what I did.

Your journey from actor to director helped writing the story?
I never thought of it like that. It definitely did because for me as an actor, and also as a director who likes directing actors, it's the discovery  of truth in that moment. It's the exploitation of that truth to its end degree to relate it to an audience, to convey that to an audience, to make it so real, so tangibly real. That's a challenge and I do believe that in my dialogue scenes that helped. The fact that I was an actor, I did not become precious about having to say things in a certain way. For me it was because the story wasn't related by the dialogue neccessarily. The situation just drove it on so the dialogue could be as real as us sitting here talking.

What excites you most about the process of making a film?
The building of a team. That excites me most. It's been like that for  all my movies. It's getting a bunch of people together. we don't know one another and then we start this journey, this adventure. Building and constructing and designing and forging this piece of art out of nothing. And we're all doing our bit. It was really awesome. It was not a thing of me relating to the actors more than I related to the technicians. we were like just one team doing the thing together. It was just great.

You were quite lucky that you started on stage, then going to television and now, film. How do you see the whole development of the industry at the moment?
I'm quite excited about it. I am really enthused by the young people and the way they are go-getting their movies together. They get ideas, they write scripts. I've spoken  to many students coming out of film schools, these guys have an enthusiasm  and a drive to get these things done.
The time when I was young, to get a movie together was something for other people to do. It was not for us. Darryll Roodt was one of the first guys to show us that you can get an idea and you will find someone to run with you. That exciteds me. Also, the new technology excites me. The liberty you get as a director because of the new mobility that you have. There's a freshness and a quickness to making a movie now. You can do a lot more in six weeks than what i was able to do with a 35 mm movie in days gone by

Advice for young filmmakers: film, TV?
Film (without hessitating) Film is for me the be and end all . I'm a total film freak. Absolutely.  I drown myself in European movies

Any favourites?
Ayabas Oristami (Ityanian director) Igmar Bergman, Bille august. I'be discovered so many other filmmakers via e-bay
When I went overseas in 1976 (sent overseas by a befeactor) went to the Cannes Film Festival as a journalist. They got me a journalist ticket  and wz\atched the in competition movies and I went to Italy, England and Germany and watched movies and theatre. It was a tremendous time. There was something foundational that happened to me then. I acll it a scholarship There I had this experience where I knew about Werner Hertzog and I knew about Wim Wenders and I knew about these weird directors, Miklos Jancso but I had never seen any of their work ...istvan szabo ... and those guys ... and then I could there see these things that I've been reading about ... and now, it's so near

Where did it all start. Being an actor. Doing what you are doing?
It started with my father. My father loved the movies. He was an absolute film buff. In those days, we were watching silent movies ... Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton and Charles Chaplin.  My afther bought these super 8 movies like I buy DVDs now. We use to watch the roles. That gave me such a love for I call it the shadows on the wall that make pictures.

Do you think we've lost some of that magic?
I do think we have. We haven't lost it altogether. There  are guys who are retaining that essence of moviemaking which is to me the capturing of reality.

That's where your function as a storyteller and filmmaker surfaces.
If I think of it, I talk like this but I've not really made those kind of movies. Boetie Gaan Border Toe, Vyftster. They were all kind of ... just stories  ... not really a comment on society I'd like to do, like make a movie that has more substantial value for later years. I do think this movie has some of that. Faith Like Potatoes is not just entertainment. There's more to it.

What do you think audiences will get from watching the film?
"Not to give up. Whatver dream it is that theu have, it's a possible dream. 

It is so easy to give up?
Especially that moment where it is impossible, it is not even a question of it seems impossible, where you just know 'this is it'. It's impossible. I acn't go on with my life .. just to trancend that moment to go through and push through.  That's waht's mazing about how Angust lives his life I think. It's to the day, whatever trial. I mean, he went through some stuff and that's in the movie.

Anything working on?
I've been developing The Lamb, a feature film about a first Centiry Jewish family  (have been working on it for many years actually) American funding. After this experience, I really think we can do it here, not go with big names or naything like that. Just do a South African film about that story and also do it on HD

Is there still something you hope to achieve? A Goal?
I would love to make an Afrikaans movie and I would love to make comedy again. I really love comedy, I love making those 'Boetie Gaan Border Toe'  movies and the experiences I've had as an actor. I would really like to carry on making movies that would touch the lives of people. That will make people just consider for a moment their situation  and maybe by whatever the movie says, applying it to their lives and adapting or changing accordingly. So movies that would make your life change for the better.

Any comments?
My heart  is full with this film. I'm excited that we've made this film with this weird process. I really hope that people get out of it what we got out of it.

Highlight in career?
I will always remember the opening night of Boetie. It was my first movie. The audience reaxction. That first night was awesome. When they started laughing something happened in me, an understanding that you can tell a story this way and people will react that way.

It's important for a director to be in touch with his audience?
Absolutely. For me, having grown up with Jans Rautenbach as a director, who was very into  getting to the essence of performance, I think it made it easier for me because as an actor you should have a sense of what communicates in a way you that you portray it, or the way you experience it. You know  what's going through. It's an interesting thing that I sometimes tell actors that you can .. you're a duall person at certain times in yiour acting.  You are performing your lines, you are living that character, you are doing it for real, but you are so intimately aware of what the camera is doing and you are actually  involved in a dance with that camera, that you choreograph yourself and you know what the camera is thinking, what it is that it portrays, you know what it will look like to an audience.

To not become indulgent.
In the process to be aware of the importance of the story . With new technology it is so easy to become indulgent.
For me the most attractive thing is a humble and a selfless actor. when you are not engaged but engrossed in a performance. That's what so amzing about these Iranian movies, or the wonderful Chine director  Yimou Zhang

Where do you find your inspiration from? What inspires you?
I'm inspired by God, by His creation. Sometimes I get an objective glimpse on what's happening here.  That Boetie. Those days it was sex, drugs and rock and roll. I wanted to really change the world with blood and guts and gore, the Quentin Taratntino type of things, now, maybe I'm older, more meelow, now I would just like to make a movie like Abas KuristamiYimou Zhang

What do you do when you are not making films?
Sleeping . That's about all I do. I'm a devote Christian. I find purpose but I understand my destiny a bit better.  I do feel that what I am doing here is more of a calling now. It's not just entertainment.

Copyright © 2006 Daniel E. Dercksen

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