GALLERY: Heartlines films a movie at Emmarentia Dam
EMMARENTIA – Canoe movie Beyond the River to be released next year.
Multimedia NGO Heartlines shot a scene from a film based on South African canoeists at Emmarentia Dam on 31 October.
Beyond the River, which is said to be a nail-biting adventure, was co-written and directed by Craig Freimond and co-written and produced by Robbie Thorpe. It is a film based on a true story about Piers Cruickshanks, director of Academics at Kingsmead College in Rosebank, who is also a member of Dabulamanzi Canoe Club in Emmarentia Dam and his canoeing partner Siseko Ntondini. Ntondini originates from an informal settlement, and has an uncommon passion for canoeing that could turn his life around.
These two men from different walks of life had one thing in common, a desire to win gold at the Dusi Canoe Marathon in February 2014. When they partnered up at the Dusi, Cruickshanks was aiming for his 10th medal while Ntondini was aiming for his first. But there were a few things in their way.
Beyond the River has an amazing cast with names like Lemogang Tsipa, well known for his role in the television drama series When We Were Black, Grant Swanby who has been in Blood Diamond, Invictus, Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom, Israel Makoe known for the movies Hard To Get, iNumber Number and award winning movie Tsotsi, Garth Breytenbach known for Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom and Kgosi Mongake, to name a few.
The actors admitted that the preparation was hard, “I had to learn how to paddle for four months before shooting,” said Tsipa. Makoe, who plays Ntondini’s mentor Oupa, also said, “I had to learn how to paddle. It is something I have never done before. It was challenging and fun at the same time.”
This dramatised film about hope and reaching ones goals will be released next year.
Contact details: info@heartlines.org.za or 011 771 2540.
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