Thinkpiece Thursday

Tsotsi

The film, Tsotsi, is an adaptation of an Athol Fugard novel of the same name.  Set in a Johannesburg slum, it tells the story of a young street thug who highjacks a car only to discover a baby in the back seat. The character and film are a classic Power of Will story. It is Tsotsi’s connection with innocence that saves him, even as it triggers his downfall.

The film won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 2006.

Here is how the production saga began. A British producer and good friend optioned the book.  The biggest challenge was to update the story originally set in the 1950’s. A lot had changed in South Africa since the book’s publication.

The producer and I discussed adaptation issues over the weekend he stayed with us in Santa Monica. I watched A Reasonable Man, starring Gavin Hood.  Gavin was then a little-known writer-director-actor from South Africa. In A Reasonable Man, he plays a Power of Conscience lawyer defending a black cowherd on a murder charge.

The producer and I agreed Gavin would be an interesting choice to direct Tsotsi. I gave a dinner party and Gavin was invited along with my producer friend and a possible production partner. Gavin knew the book and offered some insight into how he would approach writing/directing the adaptation. What a wonderful creative evening!

Along the way, I read script rewrites and looked at dozens of edit versions, including three possible endings. I enjoyed every minute and am so proud to be associated with this wonderful project.  Below is a segment of A Reasonable Man and the pre-Oscar win trailer of Tsotsi.  

I am hoping to discover more breakthrough South African talent while working with young filmmakers in Cape Town and Johannesburg this month.

A Reasonable Man

Tsotsi Trailer

https://youtu.be/rjxLQPumRpc

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