Mr Johnson, starring Paul Slabolepszy and Jana Cilliers, will make its international premiere at the upcoming Garden Route International Film Festival.
In line with the global festival trend, this year’s Garden Route International Film Festival, which runs from September 21 to October 11, will go virtual.
Written and directed by William Collinson (Dis Koue Kos, Skat, Jagveld), Mr Johnson tells the story of David Johnson, who wakes up aged 73 after decades in a coma and finds himself battling to deal with his aged body and the fact that he has missed out on more than half his life.
As Collinson puts it in an online post: “He struggles with technology, catching up with what happened while he was sleeping and the idea that he is in the last phase of life.
“The poster image is made up of the young and old Mr Johnson, who collide in this story of past clashing with the present.”
As Johnson slowly steps into this strange new world, his youthful exuberance is undimmed and, with a little prodding, he tackles life and love with the energy and passion of a man half his age.
However, like many other people of his age, he also has to wrestle with loneliness and alienation.
“The inspiration for Mr Johnson came to me when I was going through an existential crisis a few years ago and suddenly became aware of my own mortality,” Collinson said.
“What would it be like to slip into a coma, wake up in old age, and, with only a few years left, have to figure out the meaning of life?”
The film also stars Frank Rautenbach (The Bang Bang Club), Sisanda Henna (Griekwastad), Graham Hopkins (Eye in the Sky), Jailoshini Naidoo (Keeping Up with the Kandasamys), Carla Claassen and Drikus Volschenk (Dis Ek, Anna), Anthony Cole, Heike Brunner, Clayton Boyd, Marinus Gubitz (Onortodoks), and Mila Guy (Wonderlus).
Mr Johnson is the fourth film from Azania Productions, the team behind the box office hit Broken Promises Forever and the recent sleeper hit Blessers.
“We are thrilled to be able to premiere this charming film at [the festival] ,” producer Aimee Dherman said.
“The virtual nature of the festival means that we can showcase this film to a much wider audience than we ordinarily could.”
Mr Johnson was made with the support of the department of trade and industry, National Film and Video Foundation and Indigenous Film Distribution.
The film is scheduled for release in 2021.
‘Mr Johnson’ to premiere at Garden Route International Film Festival
Image: SUPPLIED
Mr Johnson, starring Paul Slabolepszy and Jana Cilliers, will make its international premiere at the upcoming Garden Route International Film Festival.
In line with the global festival trend, this year’s Garden Route International Film Festival, which runs from September 21 to October 11, will go virtual.
Written and directed by William Collinson (Dis Koue Kos, Skat, Jagveld), Mr Johnson tells the story of David Johnson, who wakes up aged 73 after decades in a coma and finds himself battling to deal with his aged body and the fact that he has missed out on more than half his life.
As Collinson puts it in an online post: “He struggles with technology, catching up with what happened while he was sleeping and the idea that he is in the last phase of life.
“The poster image is made up of the young and old Mr Johnson, who collide in this story of past clashing with the present.”
As Johnson slowly steps into this strange new world, his youthful exuberance is undimmed and, with a little prodding, he tackles life and love with the energy and passion of a man half his age.
However, like many other people of his age, he also has to wrestle with loneliness and alienation.
“The inspiration for Mr Johnson came to me when I was going through an existential crisis a few years ago and suddenly became aware of my own mortality,” Collinson said.
“What would it be like to slip into a coma, wake up in old age, and, with only a few years left, have to figure out the meaning of life?”
The film also stars Frank Rautenbach (The Bang Bang Club), Sisanda Henna (Griekwastad), Graham Hopkins (Eye in the Sky), Jailoshini Naidoo (Keeping Up with the Kandasamys), Carla Claassen and Drikus Volschenk (Dis Ek, Anna), Anthony Cole, Heike Brunner, Clayton Boyd, Marinus Gubitz (Onortodoks), and Mila Guy (Wonderlus).
Mr Johnson is the fourth film from Azania Productions, the team behind the box office hit Broken Promises Forever and the recent sleeper hit Blessers.
“We are thrilled to be able to premiere this charming film at [the festival] ,” producer Aimee Dherman said.
“The virtual nature of the festival means that we can showcase this film to a much wider audience than we ordinarily could.”
Mr Johnson was made with the support of the department of trade and industry, National Film and Video Foundation and Indigenous Film Distribution.
The film is scheduled for release in 2021.
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