Canoeists paddle to the silver screen in Beyond the River
EMMARENTIA – Beyond the river, a movie based on two local canoeists, premieres to an excited audience.
The official premiere of Beyond the River took place at The Zone, Rosebank.
The movie, which is based on the lives of Dabulamanzi Canoe Club canoer, Piers Cruickshanks and Siseko Ntondini of the Soweto Canoe Club, inspired and motivated all who came to watch this inspirational movie.
Director of the film, Craig Freimond said the movie was an amazing journey from start to finish.
He added that a couple of years ago he was approached by two canoeists about a story based on their training for the 2014 Dusi Marathon.
“We thought it had the potential to be a movie and we took the essence of their story and changed it quite significantly but kept the basis of their story,” said Freimond.
On the night, the cast and crew, along with Cruickshanks and Ntondini, got to share their experiences of the entire project and how it changed their lives.
Cruickshanks said it was an incredible road which started with him reading the script which he jokingly said destroyed his personal life.
“It is such a privilege to share what was such an amazing journey for myself and Siseko,” he said.
The film’s protagonists, Lemogang Tsipa and Grant Swanby shared the sentiment that learning how to canoe was one of the most challenging tasks they had done for a movie role.
Tsipa joked that the experience was the equivalent of learning how to ride a unicycle on a tightrope.
Swanby said he and Tsipa had not known each other before the film which added to the challenge of having to canoe together.
“We really worked hard together and in that process got to trust each other.”
Ntondini said as young boy growing up in Soweto he never imagined his life would be the subject of a movie.
“This was a dream to me, I would see these actors on TV, now they are playing me.”
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