Murmures

South African distributor Warner-Nu Metro Film distribution has acquired the African rights in all media to Stander; a co-production set to start principal photography in and around Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban on August 26th. The film which is a co-production between Seven Arts (UK), Grovesnor Park (Canada) and The Imaginarium (South Africa) tells the true story of Andre Stander, a South African cop who turned into one of the country’s most notorious and violent bank robbers twenty-three years ago during the height of apartheid. Thomas Jane, Deborah Unger and Dexter Fletcher will star in the film which is produced by Julia Verdin and Chris Roland and directed by Canadian Bronwyn Hughes (Harriet the Spy, Force of Nature). At present negotiations are under way with more talent which could affect the budget, but unconfirmed reports say that the film is likely to cost more than US million; one of the bigger budgeted pictures to shoot in the country, especially with a specific South African theme. Producer Julia Verdin says, « It’s an international story, everyone loves a good story about a bank robber. What’s more this is about a great moral dilemma, what line did Stander cross when he left the police force for a life of crime? He was an incredibly charismatic person and so a great movie character. We’re tremendously excited about the prospects of the picture. »
Nu Metro Managing Director, Mike Baard says, « Although the events took place a long time ago, his story is incredibly riveting and is not some kind of relic from the past. At one stage there were three different screenplays about Stander doing the rounds in Hollywood. South African born Shawn Slovo has doctored this script by Bima Stagg and I can tell you the picture has local colour but also enormous broad appeal and potential. There he was – a right-wing conservative member of the apartheid police force who actually escaped from prison four times. A cop who rebelled against a system he was part of and became a famous albeit ruthless outlaw. » Nu Metro has a long-standing relationship with British based Seven Arts with films like Rules of Engagement and Rat Race. « We have a fabulous relationship with Susan and Peter Hoffman of Seven Arts and are really confident that they’re attached to the picture, » said Baard. He went on to elaborate that it was a straight acquisition deal for Nu Metro and they have paid an undisclosed advance minimum fee for African theatrical, video, DVD and broadcast rights but that they might well make a further equity investment at a later stage of production. Although Nu Metro invested in local comedy Heel Against the Head in 1999 and in Leon Schuster’s Mr. Bones, this pre-sale investment in a film that is not a ‘gross-out’ comedy but a tensely, dramatic and often violent thriller set against an historical South African backdrop is a first for a local distribution arm.

South African distributor Warner-Nu Metro Film distribution has acquired the African rights in all media to Stander; a co-production set to start principal photography in and around Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban on August 26th. The film which is a co-production between Seven Arts (UK), Grovesnor Park (Canada) and The Imaginarium (South Africa) tells the true story of Andre Stander, a South African cop who turned into one of the country’s most notorious and violent bank robbers twenty-three years ago during the height of apartheid. Thomas Jane, Deborah Unger and Dexter Fletcher will star in the film which is produced by Julia Verdin and Chris Roland and directed by Canadian Bronwyn Hughes (Harriet the Spy, Force of Nature). At present negotiations are under way with more talent which could affect the budget, but unconfirmed reports say that the film is likely to cost more than US million; one of the bigger budgeted pictures to shoot in the country, especially with a specific South African theme. Producer Julia Verdin says, « It’s an international story, everyone loves a good story about a bank robber. What’s more this is about a great moral dilemma, what line did Stander cross when he left the police force for a life of crime? He was an incredibly charismatic person and so a great movie character. We’re tremendously excited about the prospects of the picture. »
Nu Metro Managing Director, Mike Baard says, « Although the events took place a long time ago, his story is incredibly riveting and is not some kind of relic from the past. At one stage there were three different screenplays about Stander doing the rounds in Hollywood. South African born Shawn Slovo has doctored this script by Bima Stagg and I can tell you the picture has local colour but also enormous broad appeal and potential. There he was – a right-wing conservative member of the apartheid police force who actually escaped from prison four times. A cop who rebelled against a system he was part of and became a famous albeit ruthless outlaw. » Nu Metro has a long-standing relationship with British based Seven Arts with films like Rules of Engagement and Rat Race. « We have a fabulous relationship with Susan and Peter Hoffman of Seven Arts and are really confident that they’re attached to the picture, » said Baard. He went on to elaborate that it was a straight acquisition deal for Nu Metro and they have paid an undisclosed advance minimum fee for African theatrical, video, DVD and broadcast rights but that they might well make a further equity investment at a later stage of production. Although Nu Metro invested in local comedy Heel Against the Head in 1999 and in Leon Schuster’s Mr. Bones, this pre-sale investment in a film that is not a ‘gross-out’ comedy but a tensely, dramatic and often violent thriller set against an historical South African backdrop is a first for a local distribution arm.