POPPIE NONGENA
by CHRISTIAAN OLWAGEN
Written by Saartjie Botha / From the novel The long journey of Poppie Nongena by Elsa Joubert / Starring Clementine Mosimane, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Chris Gxalaba and Dawid Minnaar / Produced by Helena Spring Films
South Africa 2020 / 140’
V.O. sub. ITA
Based on the novel The Long Journey of Poppie Nongena by Elsa Joubert, the film tells the story of Poppie, a South African Afrikaans / xhosa woman whose life revolves around her family. When her husband Stone becomes ill and is forced to stop working, Poppie starts her desperate struggle
to stay in a country
where she is only an immigrant to be sent away. While dealing with her children’s needs, husband’s illness, and the anger of the South African community, which gives rise to the uprisings for freedom in 1976, Poppie challenges
the State and its repressive and unfair laws for the love of her own family.
DIRECTOR
Christiaan Olwagen is a multi-award- winning director whose first four films have greatly contributed to the South African film industry. His career started in the theatre where he staged plays such as The Seagull, A Doll’s House, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and The House of Bernaba Alba and received the Rosalie Van der Gucht and Standard Bank Young Artist Awards. His last film, Poppie Nongena, won twelve awards in its South African premiere, namely the prize for best screenplay, director, photography, protagonists, editing and film.
© Helena Spring Films, 2020