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Profiles
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Director: Stefanie Sycholt
As soon as I read Lutz van Dijk’s novel, CROSSING THE LINE, I was deeply moved and immediately inspired to adapt it for the big screen. Themba’s story is universal. Broadly based on the amazing real-life stories of boys who have grown up to be men like Maradona and Zidane; boys who managed to escape a life of poverty by following the dream of soccer, THEMBA is much more than a soccer film though. It takes us into the heart of South Africa’s reality. On a journey from “hopelessness” to “hopefulness”.
I firmly believe that THEMBA will be a film that will do so much more than entertain those that will see it. It is a moving story, yes. But, more than that, I know it will allow audiences across the world to get a glimpse of our common humanity, to live for 90 minutes a life of hardship and desperation, but a life in which, as the Xhosa title, Themba, suggests, hope is never absent …
Producer statements:
DO Productions – Brigid Olën and Marlow de Mardt
A key player in independent feature films, DO Productions has joined forces with partners at Zeitsprung/Rheingold and award-winning Stefanie Sycholt (Malunde) to create a strong, passionate and endearing film about triumph and adversity in South Africa. Powerful performances and exceptional landscapes give this co-production a bold cinematic signature that realises enormous screen value and heartfelt narratives, testament to DO’s intentions to articulate noteworthy stories.”
Rheingold Films GmbH – Josef Steinberger
Themba and his sister share their fate with millions of children in Africa and the Third World. Poverty, child abuse, crime and the thread of HIV are the cruel daily challenges they have to cope with. But at the same time THEMBA shows a tremendous story about unlimited power emerging from love and responsibility for his mother, sister and friend. He never gives up! We want to encourage our audience to follow him and find ways to lead these millions of innocent children into a humane life.
Zeitsprung Entertainment GmbH – Ica & Michael Souvignier
The Team of Zeitsprung Entertainment, especially Ica and Michael Souvignier, would like to thank Lutz van Dijk for his touching and inspiring novel THEMBA. Without his work, our film THEMBA would have not been made possible! We also would like to thank Stefanie Sycholt for her awesome commitment and outstanding scriptwriting and directing. And last but not least: The Gray Family for believing in all of us, Archbishop Tutu and Franz Beckenbauer for their support!
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