South African Film Festival

The Fragile King

Expired May 31, 2023 1:45 PM
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Michael, a 15-year-old schoolboy, is sent to live with his grandfather after his mother dies. They don’t know each other and the emotional gulf between the traumatised boy and the crusty old man is immense.  Slowly a relationship builds during a road trip to Alexander Bay, near Oranjemund, only to be severed by Gerald, the grandfather. Both the boy and the older man suffer the consequences.  The bleak, desolate landscape of the Cape’s West coast is an eloquent backdrop to Michael and Gerald’s aloneness and aching self-sufficiency. Sparse dialogue accentuates the minimalist tone.  Thanks to excellent acting we come to care about what happens to the boy and the old man.  In the end we are left with questions that linger, underscoring the movie’s power.

  • Year
    2022
  • Runtime
    98 minutes
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    South Africa
  • Rating
    15+ Unless accompanied by an adult
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  • Director
    Tristan Holmes
  • Screenwriter
    Tristan Holmes
  • Producer
    Cati Weinek, Dumi Gumbi, Adam Thal
  • Cast
    Andrew Buckland, Antoinette Louw, Nthati Moshesh, Jennifer Steyn, Jonathan Pienaar, Morné Visser, Esmerelda Bihl, And Introducing, Alex De La Rey
  • Cinematographer
    Lance Gewer
  • Editor
    Bruce Mclaren Lyall