Review of ‘Girl, Taken’ from the 43rd Durban International Film Festival
Tickets to the film festival are free. You have the option to attend the live screenings or to watch online from the comfiness of your own couch.
THE 43rd Durban International Film Festival has been on since July 21 and will run until July 30.
I had the privilege of watching one of their movies online and then wrote a review of it. This is a review of Girl, Taken (contains spoilers).
I was gripped by this roller-coaster ride of a true story.
Girl, Taken is a documentary made by Solsui Films K2019540296 (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd MMXXII. It was produced by Neasa Ni Chaináin, David Rane, Shameela Seedat and Francois Verster and supported by Fís Éarrean/Screen Ireland. The directors were Francois Verster and Simon Wood.
The film covers the true story of Celeste and Morné Nurse, a couple in Cape Town, whose newborn baby was abducted out of the Groote Schuur Hospital two days after she was born.
The police were unable to find their daughter, Zephany. For 17 years, the couple searched and hoped to find the missing piece in their lives while they brought up their three other children.
The story mostly follows their story, the younger sister Cassidy’s story and Zephany/Miché’s story and dips into the lives of other family members, too.
Miché was brought up by Lavona Solomon and her husband Michael. Lavona abducted Zephany (called Miché by Lavona) from the hospital while posing as a nurse. Cassidy Nurse, Zephany’s younger sister, made friends with Miché at school because of their uncanny resemblance. They soon discover they were related.
The movie then covers the story of Lavona’s trial and arrest and the subsequent fallout for the families. The documentary goes into how each character handles the huge disruption to their lives. It’s a deeply emotional, dramatic and incredible story that made me gape in surprise at times.
I was blown away by this story and impressed by the way it was represented. The directors made me feel sympathy for each character even though some characters were in opposition to each other. It felt so real, especially being based in South Africa, although not a part of South Africa I’m familiar with. Each interview seemed authentic. The twists and turns and the deep dive into the lives and feelings of people affected by a painful and traumatic event will stir your emotions throughout. The interviews and interactions were brilliant, and I enjoyed the cinematography. The pacing and flow were well-crafted and edited.
I’d recommend this documentary to anyone who enjoys a true story that burrows into the nitty gritty of the emotional lives of real people affected by a deeply traumatic event and despicable crime.
To find out more about the 43rd Durban International Film Festival and obtain free tickets, go to their website: https://www.durbanfilmfest.com/
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