- Darrell Roodt’s latest project has secured a distribution deal ahead of production.
- Gravel Road Distribution Group has secured the global sales rights for Greytown Girl.
- The film is written by Rani Sitaram and Rose Cortes.
The upcoming South African film Greytown Girl has already secured an international distribution deal before production has even commenced.
The film, written by Rani Sitaram and Rose Cortes, will be directed by Darrell Roodt. Roodt's film Yesterday was nominated Best Foreign Language Film of the Year at the 2005 Academy Awards. He also directed the iconic Sarafina! starring Whoopi Goldberg.
Sitaram will also join the project as producer with Gravel Road Distribution Group has securing the international sales rights.
According to a statement released to the media, the film tells the true story of a small-town South African girl, Meena, who was abandoned as a baby with physical limitations. She goes on to build her life with tremendous bravery.
Through the romance of letter writing, she falls in love and a cross-continental love story begins
Greytown Girl is initially set in 1960s apartheid South Africa and builds up to the liberation of the nation as well as Meena’s self-realisation and self-love.
The intimate story is punctuated by South Africa’s climax as a democracy which underpins the narrative with a distinct layer.
“What I love most about Greytown Girl is its authenticity. You can hear the characters come to life on every page,” Roodt said in a statement.
He added: “This is because Meena's story is a true story, and so are the characters in it. They steeped in culture, which provides depth and richness beyond the image.”
Sitaram said she chose to partner with a distributor with a proven track record of “supporting diverse voices, supporting the feminine, and that provides sustainable success to films in the marketplace”.
“Gravel Road is the leading distribution company on the continent and a beautiful story like Greytown Girl deserves the best team,” she added.
“Including powerful themes of resilience, fear, courage, sisterhood, sacrifice, self-identity and empowerment and discrimination, Greytown Girl will have broad global appeal, particularly to female audiences” said Benjamin Cowley, CEO Gravel Road Distribution Group.
“I’m looking forward to taking this premium local production to the world,” he added.
The production boasts a multi-ethnic group of characters and is based in the vibrant South African context, creating a rich tone.
Casting is currently under way. Production is scheduled to commence in July 2022, with theatrical and VOD release set for 2023.
Gravel Road will manage international sales, and distribution across Africa.