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MOOIRIVIER (BEAUTIFUL RIVER)
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Post-Production - Other - Family, Romance - 100 minutes

Log Line

Love wins...always.

Previous markets

  • Cannes 2014 (Debut)
Full history

Year of production : 2014

Director(s) : Rene VAN ROOYEN
Writer(s) : Rene VAN ROOYEN
Cast : Anel ALEXANDER, Danie PUTTER, Heinz WINCKLER, Hykie BERG, Leandie DU RANDT, Milan MURRAY, Tim THERON, Vuyelwa BOOI

Producer(s) : Cobus VAN DEN BERG (Kaapland Films), Tim THERON (Kaapland Films)

Synopsis

"Mooirivier" is an ensemble romantic comedy with eight individual, interlinked plots that unfold!
during the countdown to Easter in South Africa. It's tells the tale of eight couples - aged 10 to!
70 - who go on a voyage of discovery of what love truly is - not the fairy tale version - but!
the comical reality of what it really takes to make it conquer in the end.
Honest, introverted PAUL (33) is an "ex-minister" who three years prior had lost his wife and!
started working as an ESTATE AGENT. After numerous failed attempts, he is on the verge!
of being dismissed and urgently needs to make a sale. It's then, when he meets the free!
spirited artist LISA GERBER (29) that he decides to do everything in his power to impress her.
However as he starts letting go of himself, he also starts losing his heart - but the memory.
of his wife holds him back. Paul needs to decide whether he can give love another chance.
LISA GERBER is also sister to the conservative AMELIA MALAN's (39) - who is on the brink!
of divorce after her husband STEFAN cheated on her. She's an emotional wreck and Lisa!
suggests that she gives herself a "personal make-over". In the meantime, Stefan is also!
trying to win back his wife - but his chances are slim when the "new" Amelia draws the!
attention of a hot young Italian stallion: ANTONIO (22) As Amelia starts experiencing the!
"romance of her dreams", she also starts realizing that fighting through certain pains, is
more important than superficial ideals on love.
MARCELLE FOURIE (29) - single mom to CHANTEL (10) - is extremely cynical about love.
Especially when at her new job as the cleaner at the 5*Town Hotel, she meets the famous
South African popstar: DAVE MEYER (33). In an upside-down version of "Cinderella" and
after an extremely awkward encounter - with Marcelle in an Easter Bunny costume - Dave
Meyer falls madly in love with her. However Marcelle - who has a daughter to think off - has
a tough decision to make between romantic and motherly love.
At the Potch University Campus, the commitment phobic IAN (20) and JANINE (20) are
dumped by their respective partners. Left alone behind on campus the old friends decide
to get together to make a list of "10 things to do to get over your ex". This list includes
"switching off all viral communication", "burning the memories" and "kissing someone else".
It's when they get to the "kissing" part, that Janine realises that she has always had feelings
for Ian. However he will first need to overcome his commitment issues to find real love.
In the meantime at the men's hostel: rugby captain SPYS (21) and transfers flute player
ARNOLD (19), tell the classic tale of undiscovered buddy love. Whilst they start out as arch
enemies - pranking each other throughout Easter break - they end up declaring a "seize
fire" by Easter weekend in order to aid Ian in getting his girl.
At the primary school the annual Easter concert rehearsals are underway, where best
friends: MARCO MALAN (10) and CHANTEL FOURIE (10) are playing the leading roles.
However their friendship is under serious strain when the fine line between "friend" and
"girlfriend" starts to blur. Especially when the primary school kids start teasing them about
their "relationship" and Chantel - ashamed and embarrassed - decides to break off the
friendship. As the days to the big concert starts ticking down, they have to learn to work
together again in order to make a success of the big night.
Then there's FREEK (73); a grumpy, lonely, racist old man, with no family, who's taken into hospital
after he's diagnosed with terminal cancer, and placed under the supervision of the brilliant, nononsence
black nurse: GRACE (42). Convinced that she's out to get him killed, he does everything
in his power to escape, failing miserably. It is through Grace's help and understanding that Freek
wil not only overcome his pregidous and come to terms with his ilness, but also find that if he
opens his eyes and his heart, he's not as alone in this world as he thought.
Throughout this every character's story is told as they discover how love happens when
they start fighting through the difficult times. Certain times of the year - especially Easter -
remind us that when we fight for love, it will... through all obstacles and hurdles... conquer.

Production

Country(ies) : SOUTH AFRICA

Financing plan : All financing completed. Looking for international distribution.

Start of shooting : April 2014


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