Call Me Thief - SHERIF M. AWAD-FILM CRITIC/CURATOR/PROGRAMMER-EGYPT-ECUADOR: since 1990

Call Me Thief






Call Me Thief

by Sherif Awad

This long film was the official nomination of South Africa for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' of the 89th Academy Awards (The Oscars) of 2017. Noem My Skollie or Call Me Thief (2016) depends on the biography of John W. Fredericks, who recounts stories to his companions when growing up, and furthermore to kindred cell mates when he was in jail. He was utilizing those stories as an escape and a way out of an existence of wrongdoing.
The film is an obvious take a gander at the choices and decisions confronting youth on the Cape Flats. Joining a posse is very nearly a need with a specific end goal to survive, regardless of whether outside of or inside jail. It gives assurance, and a feeling of having a place, yet there are the individuals who have possessed the capacity to escape this call, and remain sufficiently clear of inconvenience to have a cheerful existence.
The film pulls no punches, yet at the same time figures out how to abstain from going for shoddy stun esteem, picking truth and dramatization. While legislative issues are available, it likewise does not dominate the story. What's more, an exceptionally immersing story it is, absolutely attracting the watchers, and holding them until the very end. A straight forward plot, however one that is top notch, engaging, and educational as it tells its story of survival, and selling out, an account of steadfastness.
The film opens on four youngsters, AB and his three closest companions Gimba, Gif and Shorty who experience childhood with the devastated ganglands of Cape Flats in the 1960s. Regardless of their conditions, the kids attempt to dodge the hoodlums who penetrate their day by day lives. However when AB experiences an awful affair they choose to frame a pack to ensure themselves. The four companions, now like siblings, don't perpetrate genuine violations, yet the police keep a nearby watch on them as they develop from adolescents into mainstream young fellows. In the end the more seasoned AB and Gimba are captured while breaking into a shop and condemned to two years in prison. It is here, in the horrible universe of jail, that AB chooses to utilize his narrating ability to engage the solidified detainees and raise his status while his companion, Gimba connects with on an altogether different way to guarantee his own security… When AB is discharged from jail he gets on the association with his lovely youth sweetheart, Jenny thus tries to center around composing his stories, yet his group companions induce him to go along with them one final time, a choice that prompts stunning outcomes for every one of them.
Once more, this is a genuine story in view of the life of John W. Fredericks, the film's scriptwriter, which makes it a considerably more wonderful film.. Dann-Jacques and the other three fundamental characters were unbelievable. A great deal of crude feeling is required for a part this way. It's a part that tests your capacity as an on-screen character and every one of the four sparkles all through the film, that likewise an extraordinary sign of exactly how much the neighborhood film industry has become in the course of recent years. So much time and exertion were spent on outfits, the set and so on and everything meets up impeccably on screen. This is extraordinary compared to other nearby movies I have found in quite a while and I emphatically feel that each South African ought to go and see it.
Profiting extraordinarily from a convincing performance from Dann-Jaques Mouton who plays

Newman's, and gives a carefree minute, raising the consistent tone of fear and increased feeling of looming danger that prowls out of sight. Oscar Peterson is particularly chilling as a dreadful dump supervisor, while, David Manuel, makes for a threatening posse manager as Gums.
Taking its signal from the written work and genuine experience of John W Fredericks, the content traverses quite a while, is packed brimming with activity and the Afrikaans exchange. Kyle Shepherd's, thoughtful score emphasizes the story.

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