Geaneviv lights up the big screen
We talk to Northland Girls' pupil about her role in her first film.
NORTHLANDS Girls’ High School pupil, Geaneviv Pillay has always been most comfortable in front of the camera. This October, the 16-year-old finally gets her chance to shine as one of the stars of the suspense drama, Shadow. The film was directed by Dayakar Padayachee and is based on the philosophy of Carl Jung, the idea of your shadow taking on the baggage of all emotions we carry in your lives. The 30-minute film is about a 15-year-old homosexual boy, Tyrone Sharma, whose parents’ marriage is falling apart.
In the film, Geaneviv plays Liana Maharaj, the best friend of the Tazme Pillay (Tyrone), one of the protagonists of the feature. She said she loved working with the cast and crew which included professional well-known actors, like Kajal Bagwandeen, Yateen Dayaram, Lihle Dhlomo and Rizelle Januk who offer supporting roles.
“The cast and crew were like my family. I loved being a part of the film, it was a massive learning curve for me. It was great exploring the depths of my character but also to see how the film industry works.
“This was my first big break and it was a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to be an actor. When I was six years old I knew that’s what I wanted. My parents were fully behind me which was a big plus. I’m not sure what to do after school, I could either study drama or music or au pair in America. Being on the big screen is something I’m passionate about and I’m determined to live my dream,” she said.
