Stars get groovy on the red carpet

For one night only, Montecasino was transformed back to the 70s with celebrities sporting headbands and tie-dye for the premier of the latest Afrikaans film, Vir die Voëls. took place on 17 November.

What makes this film unique, is the fact that the magazine, Huisgenoot ran a competition which asked their readers to submit their own personal love stories and the winners were promised a movie would be made of their stories.

Sampie and Irma de Klerk were the lucky winners and it was their love story that was eternalised in the film.

The story is an unconventional love story with a strong emotional plot and a whole lot of humour. Sampie de Klerk Junior was played by Sundowner resident, the young Liam Bosman.

“This is my first major film. I went to the audition and got the job. I was just very lucky,” he said.

Bosman joked and said to comb his hair to fit the 70s era was the most difficult.
Afrikaans film legend, Elize Cawood from Linden also has a part in the film.

The comedian, Bennie Fourie, also from Linden, walked the red carpet making jokes with everyone standing around. Fourie played the role of Sampie’s best friend, Karel who loses his legs in the border war. “This movie is different from others as it really has a good balance between drama and humour.”
The excitement was big when the original Sampie and Irma stepped out on the red carpet. “It is so exciting to have our story [imortalised] for everyone to see. From the first moment we heard that we won, it has been like a roller coaster ride. We have met the most brilliant people,” said Irma.
Also on the red carpet were Simone Nortmann and Francois Jacobs from Albertville who both really looked every inch the stars of the film, which they are.