Following the death of his wife and daughter in a car accident a middle aged man is drawn into a dangerous physical relationship with a young girl, Jackie.
In a secluded cove on the South African coast, John Wraith, a mid-40s writer grieving the deaths of his wife and daughter is drawn into an affair with an alluring teenage girl who is grappling with demons of her own, in this gripping psychological thriller adapted from the award-winning novel by Alistair Morgan.
A film by Barry Berk
South Africa, 2012, Feature, 94mins, Thriller, English/Afrikaans
starring: Lionel Newton, Deon Lotz, Jay Anstey
Feature directorial debut.
Programmer's Note (TIFF 2012, Toronto)
Adapted from the award-winning novel by South African writer Alistair Morgan, the feature directorial debut by Barry Berk is a gripping psychological thriller that employs a classic suspense set-up to evoke the specters of guilt, loss and bereavement that continue to haunt post reconciliation South Africa. The "sleeper" of the title refers to a psychological theory that explores ordinary people's capacity for extraordinary cruelty in situations of extreme fright or dissociation from reality.
Struggling with grief and guilt after his falling asleep at the wheel causes the deaths of his wife and daughter in a terrible accident, middle-aged writer John Wraith (Lionel Newton) is urged by his friends to spend some time away from the city and try to reclaim a modicum of inner peace. John rents a chalet in the isolated quiet of Nature's Cove, an idyllic coastal settlement. He soon discovers that the visitors in the neighbouring chalet - father Roelf (Deon Lotz), his restless teenage daughter Jackie (Jay Anstey) and her younger brother Simon (Luke Tyler) - are dealing with a grief of their own, still reeling from the death of Roelf's wife during a violent break-in by a gang of armed thieves. While Roelf has turned to religion to assuage his grief and Simon seems to find solace in completely disconnecting from the world and connecting into his iPod, Jackie is held captive by guilt from her own abuse at the hands of the home invaders - a self-reproach which naturally draws her towards John. Though he at first tries to resist the alluring young girl's seductive advances, John soon finds that the attraction is too overpowering to resist - and as he starts to reveal some less than pleasant truths about his marriage, this volatile constellation of grieving people is propelled towards an explosive resolution.
Not only an expertly directed exercise in suspense, Sleeper's Wake carries a palpable but unspoken allegorical charge in its tale of buried guilt and dark secrets - particularly resonant themes for a nation in which "truth and reconciliation" has still left a legacy of shame and unalloyed bereavement. Featuring exactingly sharp performances from its small cast and atmospheric cinematography by Willie Nel, Sleeper's Wake has a quietly magnetic force that grows in intensity as the film approaches its powerful conclusion.
Director: Barry Berk Country: South Africa Orig. Work Title: Sleeper's Wake Year: 2012 Language: English, Afrikaans Runtime: 94 minutes Rating: 18A
Exec. Producer: Anant Singh, Sanjeev Singh, Robert Naidoo, Sudhir Pragjee, Barry Berk, Richard Cohen, Ronnie Apteker Producer: Ken Kaplan Production Companies: Bioskope Pictures, Videovision Entertainment, Liquid Crayon Screenplay: Barry Berk Based on the novel "Sleeper's Wake" (Penguin) by Alistair Morgan Cinematographer: Willie Nel Editor: Vuyani Sondlo Sound: Gita Cerviera Music: Daniel Caleb, Jamie Matthes Prod. Designer: Flo Ballack
Tags: Afrocentric | Sexuality | Drama | Thriller
Cast (in order of appearance) JOHN WRAITH > LIONEL NEWTON DOCTOR > AKIN OMOTOSO NURSE > VATISWA NDARA REBECCA > AMANDA LANE TREVOR SHIPLEY > CARL BEUKES LARA SHIPLEY > ERICA WESSELS DEBORAH WRAITH > TANIA ZEEMAN ISABELLE WRAITH > DREW ZEEMAN DIRK > STIAAN SMITH JACKIE VENTER > JAY ANSTEY ERNS > ANDRE STOLZ ERNS'S WIFE > NANA STAPELBERG ROELF VENTER > DEON LOTZ SIMON VENTER > LUKE TYLER JACKIE'S MOM > HANLI ROLFES DOREEN > BAYO JWAYI POLICEMAN #1 > MASHILO MATSEKE POLICEMEN #2 > ROBBIE CHESTER POLICEMEN #3 > RYNO VAN HEERDEN POLICEMAN # 4 > ROEDOLF FOURIE DIVER #1 > CHARL VAN VUUREN > DIVER #2 > MICHAEL QUIGLEY DIVER #3 > MANDIE ROUX SURFER > JAMIE GRAHAM BAKKIE DRIVER > VINCE PRETORIUS PASSENGER > PATRICK NGCOBO
1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: DAVID TUMAHOLE PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR: LILA LIEBERMAN 3RD ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: JOSEPH "NICO" MALELE SET PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: KGOSI CHOENE PRODUCTION DRIVERS: PATRICK YENDE & MANDLA KHAWULA PRODUCTION ASSISTANT TRAINEE: MATLHOGONOLO LETHOKO-MFOLO PRODUCTION ACCOUNTANT: SOHAN BRIJLAL FOCUS PULLER: KHYLE SMITH DIGITAL IMAGING TECHNICIAN: CRAIG RUURDS CAMERA TRAINEE: THANDO NTOMBELA PRODUCTION SOUND MIXER: GITA CERVEIRA BOOM SWINGER: JL ROSSOUW SOUND TRAINEE: HAILE PIMENTA SCRIPT SUPERVISOR: SASKIA DERKSEN LOCATION/UNIT MANAGER: ANDRIES SHONGWE LOCATION SCOUT/MANAGER (KWA-ZULU NATAL): DANIE BASSON UNIT ASSISTANT: SAMUEL TSHABALALA LOCATION FACILITIES (KWA-ZULU NATAL): GO2FILMS WARDROBE DESIGNER: DARION HING WARDROBE ASSISTANT: MNCEDISI MBOMBO WARDROBE TRAINEE: BOITUMELO KOMANE MAKE UP & HAIR ARTIST: JULENE PATON MAKE ASSISTANT: AMY ANSTEY TRAINEE: ANGELIQUE PEPLAR CASTING ASSOCIATE: BELINDA KRUGER EXTRA CASTING: SHOOT CASTING & GOTOFILMS ORIBI GORGE LOCATIONS: GOTOFILMS STUNT COORDINATORS: LEON BREYTENBACH & DAVID MAHLANGU GAFFER: DALLAS NCALA LIGHTING BEST BOY: WILLIAM TSHIPAPE SPARKS: JEROME MBATHA & MODWELL MNCUBE LIGHTING TRAINEE: PETER LEKALAKALA GENERATOR OPERATOR: SIMON BUTHELEZI KEY GRIP: JO MULAUDZI BEST BOY GRIP: VIKELANI NCUBE SET DECORATOR & CONTRUCTION MANAGER: MICHAEL QUIGLEY STANDBY PROPS: VINCE PRETORIUS CARPENTERS: ARTHUR BOZAZ & COLLY PHIRI SET DRESSERS: JABU DUBE & VICKY SAWKINS ART DEPARTMENT DRIVER: CHARLES DUBE ART DEPARTMENT TRAINEE: JEREMY DEAN FROST BABOON WRANGLERS: JESSIE ANDRIES & JET SHAW GARIN MUNSTER SPIDER WRANGLER: ASTRI LEROY BABOON SUPPLIED BY UNION PICTURES ANIMAL WELFARE: ANIMAL ANTI CRUELTY LEAGUE TRANSPORT CAPTAIN: NHLANHLA A SHONGWE CAST DRIVER: NEO MASHILOANE CREW DRIVER: MDUDUZI NGEMA STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER: KARIN BLID ALSBIRK EPK: AFRICAN ORAL HISTORY PRODUCER: MANDY JACOBSON CAMERA: DIEGO OLLIVIER PRODUCTION MANAGER: ANTHEA PERNEGGER LINE PRODUCER: PHUMLA MKHIZE POST-PRODUCTION: JOHN NYOKA EDITOR: ANNA-LISA STAPLETON CATERING ORIBI: GRAHAM KENT ON SET CATERING (KWA-ZULU NATAL): NICOLA VANCOILLIE ON SET CATERING (GAUTENG): CHARMAINE JOSEPHS SECURITY: G & P SECURITY / MAJA ENTERPRISES / SMS SECURITY CAMERA, LIGHTING & GRIP EQUIPMENT: MEDIA FILM SERVICES VEHICLES: TEMPEST CAR HIRE POST PRODUCTION: DEEPEND POST POST PRODUCTION MANAGER: LUAAN HONG POST PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: SIMONE FANTI ASSISTANT EDITOR: DANIEL MITCHELL TRAINEE EDITOR: NTABISENG SEROTE ONLINE: SPLASH ONLINE EDITOR: SCHALK VAN DER MERWE BASELIGHT GRADE: PUDDING COLOURIST: NICHOLAS APOSTOLI VISUAL EFFECTS: SPHERE ANIMATION VISUAL EFFECT SUPERVISOR: ETTIENE BOSCH VISUAL EFFECTS ANIMATORS: RIKUS NIEUWOUDT / IAN DEHNING / NICO JANSE VAN RENSBURG / ETTIENE BOSCH DOLBY DIGITAL AUDIO POST PRODUCTION: CUT & PASTE GENERATION SOUND RE-RECORDING: KWAZI MOJO SOUND STUDIOS / CUT & PASTE GENERATION AUDIO POST SUPERVISOR: ALUN RICHARDS DOLBY DIGITAL MASTERING & FINALMIX: ALUN RICHARDS / SEAN JEFFERIS SOUND FX & DESIGN EDITORS: ALUN RICHARDS / SEAN JEFFERIS / JOANNE DARLING / NATHI LUTHANGO ADR RECORDING & EDITING: SEAN JEFFERIS FOLEY ARTISTS: TYRON BAXTER / NATHI LUTHANGO / JOANNE DARLING / SERGIO DA CRUZ / SEAN JEFFERIS MUSIC RECORDING: PRESSURE COOKER STUDIOS MUSICIANS: ROBERT ODENDAAL / JENNY POTT MUSIC CLEARANCE: JAY SAVAGE COMPLETION BOND: ETANA INSURANCE LTD FPI INSURANCE: CGM BROKERS BROKER: HANLIE CARSTENS CLAIM PROCESSOR: MICHELLE BASSON INSURANCE ADJUSTER: KEN CUBBERLEY LITERARY AGENT: PEAKE ASSOCIATES PRODUCTION OFFICES: ALCHEMY PROPERTY INVESTMENTS LEGAL SERVICES: SPOOR & FISCHER / HUGH MELAMDOWITZ AUDIT & ACCOUNTING: FISCHER & ASSOCIATES ACCOUNTANTS: ANDREW FISCHER / WARREN SIMON PAYROLL: MUREEDA KARA CLERK: WINILE MAZIBUKO BOOKEEPING: TASNEEM GOODMAN OFFICE MANAGER: PATRICIA AAGAARD DRIVER: JULIUS NCUBE CLEANER: NOKUHULA NDLOVU PRODUCTION SUPPORT: VIDEOVISION ENTERTAINMENT ACCOUNTANT: RONNIE GOVENDER COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA EXECUTIVE: NILESH SINGH VIDEO EDITOR: SIGESHAN REDDY ARCHIVE MATERIAL: AQUAVISION "ROER" CLIP LICENCE: MNET
SPECIAL THANKS: MICHAEL BERK / TREVOR COHEN / CRAIG FREIMOND / CHARLIE SAPADIN / BRIAN COX / TONY PEAKE / DOMINIQUE MOIZEAU / PAUL RALEIGH / BELINDA KRUGER / STEFFEN SCHNEIER / ANTHONY ORELOWITZ / CHRISTO RAS / MARTIN KAPLAN / DEBORAH QUINN / PAUL JEFFREYS / GALIA HILLHOUSE / JAN DUPLESSIS / HENRIETTE DE VILLIERS / LAURENCE HAMBURGER / LAURIE LEVINE
"SIX WINTERS" WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY LAURIE LEVINE COURTESY OF LAURIE LEVINE & STOEP STUDIOS PUBLISHING: SONY ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING
FILMED ON LOCATION IN KWA-ZULU NATAL SOUTH COAST, ORIBI GORGE AND GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PEOPLE OF PORT EDWARD AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND SUPPORT
NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS MOTION PICTURE ANIMAL WELFARE WAS MONITORED BY THE ANIMAL ANTI-CRUELTY LEAGUE OF SOUTH AFRICA.
Jay made her feature film debut at the age of 14 as Tim Robbins's daughter in the Phillip Noyce directed political action drama, Catch A Fire.
Since then she has carved out her own career in the entertainment business following in the path of her parents, both well known performers in South Africa. Jay has appeared in numerous music videos, TV series and short films.
Jay continues to make her mark on the popular TV series, Isidingo, as the character of Charlie
Sleeper's Wake marks Jay's first starring role in a feature film
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