Sleeper's Wake

  • Sleeper's Wake
Genre : Thriller
Type : Fiction
Original title :
Principal country concerned : Column : Cinema/tv
Year of production : 2012
Format : Feature
Running time : 94 (in minutes)
http://www.sleeperswakemovie.com

Following the death of his wife and daughter in a car accident a middle aged man is drawn into a dangerous physical relationship with a young girl, Jackie.

In a secluded cove on the South African coast, John Wraith, a mid-40s writer grieving the deaths of his wife and daughter is drawn into an affair with an alluring teenage girl who is grappling with demons of her own, in this gripping psychological thriller adapted from the award-winning novel by Alistair Morgan.

A film by Barry Berk

South Africa, 2012, Feature, 94mins, Thriller, English/Afrikaans

starring: Lionel Newton, Deon Lotz, Jay Anstey

Feature directorial debut.



Programmer's Note (TIFF 2012, Toronto)

Adapted from the award-winning novel by South African writer Alistair Morgan, the feature directorial debut by Barry Berk is a gripping psychological thriller that employs a classic suspense set-up to evoke the specters of guilt, loss and bereavement that continue to haunt post reconciliation South Africa. The "sleeper" of the title refers to a psychological theory that explores ordinary people's capacity for extraordinary cruelty in situations of extreme fright or dissociation from reality.

Struggling with grief and guilt after his falling asleep at the wheel causes the deaths of his wife and daughter in a terrible accident, middle-aged writer John Wraith (Lionel Newton) is urged by his friends to spend some time away from the city and try to reclaim a modicum of inner peace. John rents a chalet in the isolated quiet of Nature's Cove, an idyllic coastal settlement. He soon discovers that the visitors in the neighbouring chalet - father Roelf (Deon Lotz), his restless teenage daughter Jackie (Jay Anstey) and her younger brother Simon (Luke Tyler) - are dealing with a grief of their own, still reeling from the death of Roelf's wife during a violent break-in by a gang of armed thieves. While Roelf has turned to religion to assuage his grief and Simon seems to find solace in completely disconnecting from the world and connecting into his iPod, Jackie is held captive by guilt from her own abuse at the hands of the home invaders - a self-reproach which naturally draws her towards John. Though he at first tries to resist the alluring young girl's seductive advances, John soon finds that the attraction is too overpowering to resist - and as he starts to reveal some less than pleasant truths about his marriage, this volatile constellation of grieving people is propelled towards an explosive resolution.

Not only an expertly directed exercise in suspense, Sleeper's Wake carries a palpable but unspoken allegorical charge in its tale of buried guilt and dark secrets - particularly resonant themes for a nation in which "truth and reconciliation" has still left a legacy of shame and unalloyed bereavement. Featuring exactingly sharp performances from its small cast and atmospheric cinematography by Willie Nel, Sleeper's Wake has a quietly magnetic force that grows in intensity as the film approaches its powerful conclusion.

Rasha Salti (TIFF 2012, Toronto)
http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2012/sleeperswake


Director: Barry Berk
Country: South Africa
Orig. Work Title: Sleeper's Wake
Year: 2012
Language: English, Afrikaans
Runtime: 94 minutes
Rating: 18A

Exec. Producer: Anant Singh, Sanjeev Singh, Robert Naidoo, Sudhir Pragjee, Barry Berk, Richard Cohen, Ronnie Apteker
Producer: Ken Kaplan
Production Companies: Bioskope Pictures, Videovision Entertainment, Liquid Crayon
Screenplay: Barry Berk
Based on the novel "Sleeper's Wake" (Penguin) by Alistair Morgan
Cinematographer: Willie Nel
Editor: Vuyani Sondlo
Sound: Gita Cerviera
Music: Daniel Caleb, Jamie Matthes
Prod. Designer: Flo Ballack

Tags: Afrocentric | Sexuality | Drama | Thriller


Cast
(in order of appearance)
JOHN WRAITH > LIONEL NEWTON
DOCTOR > AKIN OMOTOSO
NURSE > VATISWA NDARA
REBECCA > AMANDA LANE
TREVOR SHIPLEY > CARL BEUKES
LARA SHIPLEY > ERICA WESSELS
DEBORAH WRAITH > TANIA ZEEMAN
ISABELLE WRAITH > DREW ZEEMAN
DIRK > STIAAN SMITH
JACKIE VENTER > JAY ANSTEY
ERNS > ANDRE STOLZ
ERNS'S WIFE > NANA STAPELBERG
ROELF VENTER > DEON LOTZ
SIMON VENTER > LUKE TYLER
JACKIE'S MOM > HANLI ROLFES
DOREEN > BAYO JWAYI
POLICEMAN #1 > MASHILO MATSEKE
POLICEMEN #2 > ROBBIE CHESTER
POLICEMEN #3 > RYNO VAN HEERDEN
POLICEMAN # 4 > ROEDOLF FOURIE
DIVER #1 > CHARL VAN VUUREN >
DIVER #2 > MICHAEL QUIGLEY
DIVER #3 > MANDIE ROUX
SURFER > JAMIE GRAHAM
BAKKIE DRIVER > VINCE PRETORIUS
PASSENGER > PATRICK NGCOBO


1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: DAVID TUMAHOLE
PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR: LILA LIEBERMAN
3RD ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: JOSEPH "NICO" MALELE
SET PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: KGOSI CHOENE
PRODUCTION DRIVERS: PATRICK YENDE & MANDLA KHAWULA
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT TRAINEE: MATLHOGONOLO LETHOKO-MFOLO
PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANT: SOHAN BRIJLAL
FOCUS PULLER: KHYLE SMITH
DIGITAL IMAGING TECHNICIAN: CRAIG RUURDS
CAMERA TRAINEE: THANDO NTOMBELA
PRODUCTION SOUND MIXER: GITA CERVEIRA
BOOM SWINGER: JL ROSSOUW
SOUND TRAINEE: HAILE PIMENTA
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR: SASKIA DERKSEN
LOCATION/UNIT MANAGER: ANDRIES SHONGWE
LOCATION SCOUT/MANAGER (KWA-ZULU NATAL): DANIE BASSON
UNIT ASSISTANT: SAMUEL TSHABALALA
LOCATION FACILITIES (KWA-ZULU NATAL): GO2FILMS
WARDROBE DESIGNER: DARION HING
WARDROBE ASSISTANT: MNCEDISI MBOMBO
WARDROBE TRAINEE: BOITUMELO KOMANE
MAKE UP & HAIR ARTIST: JULENE PATON
MAKE ASSISTANT: AMY ANSTEY
TRAINEE: ANGELIQUE PEPLAR
CASTING ASSOCIATE: BELINDA KRUGER
EXTRA CASTING: SHOOT CASTING & GOTOFILMS
ORIBI GORGE LOCATIONS: GOTOFILMS
STUNT COORDINATORS: LEON BREYTENBACH & DAVID MAHLANGU
GAFFER: DALLAS NCALA
LIGHTING BEST BOY: WILLIAM TSHIPAPE
SPARKS: JEROME MBATHA & MODWELL MNCUBE
LIGHTING TRAINEE: PETER LEKALAKALA
GENERATOR OPERATOR: SIMON BUTHELEZI
KEY GRIP: JO MULAUDZI
BEST BOY GRIP: VIKELANI NCUBE
SET DECORATOR & CONTRUCTION MANAGER: MICHAEL QUIGLEY
STANDBY PROPS: VINCE PRETORIUS
CARPENTERS: ARTHUR BOZAZ & COLLY PHIRI
SET DRESSERS: JABU DUBE & VICKY SAWKINS
ART DEPARTMENT DRIVER: CHARLES DUBE
ART DEPARTMENT TRAINEE: JEREMY DEAN FROST
BABOON WRANGLERS: JESSIE ANDRIES & JET SHAW
GARIN MUNSTER
SPIDER WRANGLER: ASTRI LEROY
BABOON SUPPLIED BY UNION PICTURES
ANIMAL WELFARE: ANIMAL ANTI CRUELTY LEAGUE
TRANSPORT CAPTAIN: NHLANHLA A SHONGWE
CAST DRIVER: NEO MASHILOANE
CREW DRIVER: MDUDUZI NGEMA
STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER: KARIN BLID ALSBIRK
EPK: AFRICAN ORAL HISTORY
PRODUCER: MANDY JACOBSON
CAMERA: DIEGO OLLIVIER
PRODUCTION MANAGER: ANTHEA PERNEGGER
LINE PRODUCER: PHUMLA MKHIZE
POST-PRODUCTION: JOHN NYOKA
EDITOR: ANNA-LISA STAPLETON
CATERING ORIBI: GRAHAM KENT
ON SET CATERING (KWA-ZULU NATAL): NICOLA VANCOILLIE
ON SET CATERING (GAUTENG): CHARMAINE JOSEPHS
SECURITY: G & P SECURITY / MAJA ENTERPRISES / SMS SECURITY
CAMERA, LIGHTING & GRIP EQUIPMENT: MEDIA FILM SERVICES
VEHICLES: TEMPEST CAR HIRE
POST PRODUCTION: DEEPEND POST
POST PRODUCTION MANAGER: LUAAN HONG
POST PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: SIMONE FANTI
ASSISTANT EDITOR: DANIEL MITCHELL
TRAINEE EDITOR: NTABISENG SEROTE
ONLINE: SPLASH
ONLINE EDITOR: SCHALK VAN DER MERWE
BASELIGHT GRADE: PUDDING
COLOURIST: NICHOLAS APOSTOLI
VISUAL EFFECTS: SPHERE ANIMATION
VISUAL EFFECT SUPERVISOR: ETTIENE BOSCH
VISUAL EFFECTS ANIMATORS: RIKUS NIEUWOUDT / IAN DEHNING / NICO JANSE VAN RENSBURG / ETTIENE BOSCH
DOLBY DIGITAL AUDIO POST PRODUCTION: CUT & PASTE GENERATION
SOUND RE-RECORDING: KWAZI MOJO SOUND STUDIOS / CUT & PASTE GENERATION
AUDIO POST SUPERVISOR: ALUN RICHARDS
DOLBY DIGITAL MASTERING & FINALMIX: ALUN RICHARDS / SEAN JEFFERIS
SOUND FX & DESIGN EDITORS: ALUN RICHARDS / SEAN JEFFERIS / JOANNE DARLING / NATHI LUTHANGO
ADR RECORDING & EDITING: SEAN JEFFERIS
FOLEY ARTISTS: TYRON BAXTER / NATHI LUTHANGO / JOANNE DARLING / SERGIO DA CRUZ / SEAN JEFFERIS
MUSIC RECORDING: PRESSURE COOKER STUDIOS
MUSICIANS: ROBERT ODENDAAL / JENNY POTT
MUSIC CLEARANCE: JAY SAVAGE
COMPLETION BOND: ETANA INSURANCE LTD
FPI INSURANCE: CGM BROKERS
BROKER: HANLIE CARSTENS
CLAIM PROCESSOR: MICHELLE BASSON
INSURANCE ADJUSTER: KEN CUBBERLEY
LITERARY AGENT: PEAKE ASSOCIATES
PRODUCTION OFFICES: ALCHEMY PROPERTY INVESTMENTS
LEGAL SERVICES: SPOOR & FISCHER / HUGH MELAMDOWITZ
AUDIT & ACCOUNTING: FISCHER & ASSOCIATES
ACCOUNTANTS: ANDREW FISCHER / WARREN SIMON
PAYROLL: MUREEDA KARA
CLERK: WINILE MAZIBUKO
BOOKEEPING: TASNEEM GOODMAN
OFFICE MANAGER: PATRICIA AAGAARD
DRIVER: JULIUS NCUBE
CLEANER: NOKUHULA NDLOVU
PRODUCTION SUPPORT: VIDEOVISION ENTERTAINMENT
ACCOUNTANT: RONNIE GOVENDER
COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA EXECUTIVE: NILESH SINGH
VIDEO EDITOR: SIGESHAN REDDY
ARCHIVE MATERIAL: AQUAVISION
"ROER" CLIP LICENCE: MNET

SPECIAL THANKS: MICHAEL BERK / TREVOR COHEN / CRAIG FREIMOND / CHARLIE SAPADIN / BRIAN COX / TONY PEAKE / DOMINIQUE MOIZEAU / PAUL RALEIGH / BELINDA KRUGER / STEFFEN SCHNEIER / ANTHONY ORELOWITZ / CHRISTO RAS / MARTIN KAPLAN / DEBORAH QUINN / PAUL JEFFREYS / GALIA HILLHOUSE / JAN DUPLESSIS / HENRIETTE DE VILLIERS / LAURENCE HAMBURGER / LAURIE LEVINE

"SIX WINTERS"
WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY LAURIE LEVINE
COURTESY OF LAURIE LEVINE & STOEP STUDIOS
PUBLISHING: SONY ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING

FILMED ON LOCATION IN KWA-ZULU NATAL SOUTH COAST, ORIBI GORGE AND GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PEOPLE OF PORT EDWARD AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND SUPPORT

NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS MOTION PICTURE
ANIMAL WELFARE WAS MONITORED BY THE ANIMAL ANTI-CRUELTY LEAGUE OF SOUTH AFRICA.

©2012-BIOSKOPE FILMWORKS (PTY) LTD.

CONTACT DETAILS
Ken Kaplan
Bioskope Pictures
P O Box 55187
Northlands 2116
SOUTH AFRICA
+ 27 (11) 447 2233
bioskope@icon.co.za

Sanjeev Singh
Videovision Entertainment
P O Box 1005
Umhlanga
SOUTH AFRICA 4320
+27 (31) 819 2700
sanjeev@videovision.co.za

78 Corlett Drive, Melrose North, Joburg
Tel 011 447 2233 Fax 011 447 2223

Summary for official catalogues

JAY ANSTEY - Jackie Venter

Jay made her feature film debut at the age of 14 as Tim Robbins's daughter in the Phillip Noyce directed political action drama, Catch A Fire.

Since then she has carved out her own career in the entertainment business following in the path of her parents, both well known performers in South Africa. Jay has appeared in numerous music videos, TV series and short films.

Jay continues to make her mark on the popular TV series, Isidingo, as the character of Charlie

Sleeper's Wake marks Jay's first starring role in a feature film

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  • Arterial network
  • Media, Sports and Entertainment Group (MSE)
  • Gens de la Caraïbe
  • Groupe 30 Afrique
  • Alliance Française VANUATU
  • PACIFIC ARTS ALLIANCE
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  • Zimbabwe : Culture Fund Of Zimbabwe Trust
  • RDC : Groupe TACCEMS
  • Rwanda : Positive Production
  • Togo : Kadam Kadam
  • Niger : ONG Culture Art Humanité
  • Collectif 2004 Images
  • Africultures Burkina-Faso
  • Bénincultures / Editions Plurielles
  • Africiné
  • Afrilivres

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