DIE ONGELOOFLIKE AVONTURE VAN HANNA HOEKOM ***** An exceptional South African film that celebrates the art of World Cinema. Director Regardt van den Bergh's imaginative vision and screenwriter Gustav Kuhn inspiring adaptation of Marita van der Vyver's novel, showcases the unique talent of Anna Mart van der Merwe, newcomer Anneke Weidemann and Gys de Villiers.  Featuring sensational animation that underlines the fantasy aspect of the film, and a astounding music soundtrack, this is proudly South African filmmamking at its best.  It is the inspiring story of the rebirth of a family who escape into the rural countryside where they are stripped of technology and are forced to redeem their differences and undergo a spiritual transformation.   

kykNET approached Spookasem Productions in 2009 about the idea to adapt a well-known prescribed novel for the screen.
Apart from it being an amazing opportunity to make a movie, especially in South Africa, the added bonus for Gustav Kuhn, executive producer and screenwriter, was to make a movie in his home language.
The final decision fell on Marita van der Vyver's Die ongelooflike avonture van Hanna Hoekom, being a prescribed work. Gustav adapted the novel in a screenplay and even though Marita wasn't involved in the writing of the screenplay she gave her input via email.
The novel starts where the family departs from their house in Cape Town on holiday in the Cederberg mountains.
The budget, as well as logistical restraints, didn't make it possible to use the Cederberg as location and the production was moved to Knysna. The cast and crew stayed in the Portland Manor Country Estate. The "main set" or "mountain house" was built on a farm in Rheenendal, where most of the filming took place. A house in town was used as the family's home in Cape Town.
The movie was shot over a period of 26 days, which meant that filming took place six days a week. Apart from the tough schedule the team also had to put up with life-threatening forest fires and extreme weather conditions, notably the drought in the region. In spite of this, the filming was a huge success.
According to Gustav the 27-odd people involved had an unforgettable experience and new friends were made.
Apart from the outstanding cast Die ongelooflike avonture van Hanna Hoekom boasts a first in the South African movie industry - the magical world of Hanna's flights of fancy, depicted through animation of approximately 12 minutes of the screen time. The technology and scope of the animation are of international standard and were created by Orijin in Cape Town. Riku Lätti composed and mixed the original soundtrack and theme song.

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
When Marida Swanepoel from kykNET phoned me to ask me if I will be interested in directing a movie for the channel, I was already excited - just to have the opportunity to direct an Afrikaans movie for the first time in 18 years. When I heard Gustav Kuhn will be the producer, I was even more excited. With the screening of his film Ouma se slim kind at the Apollo Film Festival we discussed Afrikaans movies and our shared love for it.
After I've read Marita van der Vyver's book and the screenplay I was completely convinced that it is going to be an exceptional movie. It tells of the coming-of-age of Hanna Hoekom, 14 going on 15, and her journey to love for her family - at times in a humorous and at times in an emotional manner. What struck me was Hanna's way of telling the story and the manner in which she describes her motley family with affectionate humour.
The ironical, "amazing" adventures of Hanna for me became a journey through the relationships of this peculiar family. The most attractive aspect of Hanna's narration is her underplayed humour and with the outstanding cast one could barely go wrong. I believe the movie will make families feel better about themselves. And hopefully it will encourage love for one another!


Regardt was born and bred in Johannesburg, South Africa, attending school at Laerskool Louw Geldenhuis and matriculating at Hoërskool Linden. Regardt grew up in an acting family with his father Gert (still a celebrated actor, years after his death in 1968) and his mother Dulcie. Gert was well known for his role in the classic film Zulu as Adendorf, and as Man Two in Paramount's The Naked Prey. During Regardt's school career he acted in several films, most notable is Die kandidaat. His performance as a juvenile delinquent won him recognition as an actor, serious about his craft.
After school Regardt worked as a trenching foreman for the South African Railways to earn the money for his studies. In 1972 he went to the University of Cape Town studying for a BA degree and a Performers Diploma in Speech and Drama. Before the end of his second year Regardt won a part in an Afrikaans film, Ongewenste vreemdeling. He decided to do the film and leave the university. He joined Jans Rautenbach (an acclaimed film director and producer in SA) as a general gofer, assistant editor and actor. Regardt worked and acted for two years, after which he landed a lead in the first Afrikaans TV series, Dokter, Dokter.
For four years Regardt acted in many TV dramas and several films until he made his directing debut in 1980. Vyfster, a mini-series in eight parts, won Regardt many awards and great acclaim in the industry. From then on he spent most of his time directing television programmes for South African companies on a freelance basis.
In 1983 Regardt became the resident film director for Philo Pieterse Productions. His first feature film, Boetie gaan border toe, broke all box office records in South Africa. Subsequent films ensured Regardt's status as one of South Africa's foremost film directors. Regardt made several films and won many nominations and awards. Most notable of these are Circles in a Forest, nominated as best picture and The Sheltering Desert for which Regardt received the Africa M-Net award for best director in 1990.
In 1993 Regardt directed a docu-drama called The Gospel According to Matthew. This four-hour word-for-word Biblical series soon became the top-selling Christian video in the United States and is still selling thousands, fifteen years later. This project inspired Regardt to take a look at the films depicting Jesus Christ as a character. He was immediately stirred to make a film showing Jesus as a likeable, approachable non-religious man. Regardt has spent the past ten years developing the project called The Lamb, which will go into pre-production towards the end of this year.

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN FILMMAKING

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