Frank Rautenbach to lead a new M-Net family drama series ‘Summertide’

Actor, Frank Rautenbach will lead a new M-Net family drama series, Summertide, set to air in January 2024.

The production for this new local series is already underway in Cape Town, produced by Red Letter Day Pictures.

Summertide explores the lives of the Field family and the interesting characters who cross their paths.

Rautenbach plays the character of Martin Field, a marine biologist and father of two children, who moves to the False Bay area to get away from a big secret (the death of his wife) but life isn’t simple as he and his children, Tristan and Lucy, are forced to cope with the loss of their loved one.

Rautenbach said he is thrilled to be part of this first of its kind 52-episode multi-generational drama series.

“I’m over the moon! I love telling stories, especially stories about families. Summertide is the perfect vehicle to do that,”

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‘We wanted to tell a multi-generated family story’

Summertide’s director, Corné van Rooyen, said the idea was to tell a family story about a multi-generated family. He said shooting in Cape Town, specifically in locations like False Bay, made perfect sense as the story is about a marine biologist.

“We looked at where an English family would work best and then realised how people work there (False Bay) and people are very connected to the ocean and then we thought ok, a story about a marine biologist coming back to his family and finding his symbiosis again. How he finds himself inside his family. I think that’s the whole story. Finding out how nature and people will work together in creating a certain symbiosis.”

“All our locations are on the sea. We said from the beginning that every single location, even the school will be on a stone throw away from the ocean. So, I wanted to connect the ocean constantly to the family and how this ocean also binds the family and the community together.”

Here are other stars that you will see on ‘Summertide’

SAFTA-nominated actress Monique Rockman will play the character of Rebecca, a renowned Michelin star chef, and Martin’s former flame.

Veteran stage and screen actors Andre Jacobs and Terry Norton portray Martin’s parents, Jack and Wilma Field.

Jan Combrink and Evangelina Hallock star as Martin’s children, Tristan and Lucy.

Other talented additions include Ntombi Makhutshi who will also be starring in M-Net’s upcoming thriller Devil’s Peak. Cassiel Eatock-Winnik, Euodia Samson, Maurice Carpede, and Morné Visser. 

Summertide will air every Sunday at 6 pm from January next year. All shows will be live-streamed on DStv Stream and are available on DStv Catch Up. 

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