Paljas 26 years old

The greatest feature to emerge thus far from South Africa (since 1994) is Katinka Heyns's Paljas. The narrative occurs in the 1960s, when poverty amongst Afrikaners was a serious problem and the South African Railway a key mechanism in Afrikaner affirmative action. This excellent Afrikaans language drama follows the deterioration of an Afrikaner family isolated and shunned in the small community of Toorwater. Nothing seems to happen. Then a circus train loses its way and comes to rest in Toorwater, and a mysterious clown brings fresh magic to the stagnating family, but he also poses a threat to the rest of the community. Heyns brilliantly succeeds in creating a metaphor for the Afrikaner family's turbulent emotional, cultural and ideological journey from the darkness of apartheid back into the light of post-apartheid reconciliation (famililial, cultural and political).

Credits

Paljas Cast

Name Character
Marius Weyers He was 52, now 79 years old as Hendrik MacDonald
David S. Lee He was 60, now 86 years old as Bertie
Ian Roberts He was 32, now 59 years old as Frans
Gérard Rudolf He was 31, now 58 years old as Jan Mol
Ellis Pearson as Manuel
Aletta Bezuidenhout as Katrina MacDonald
Marthinus Basson He was 45, now 71 years old as Dominee
Larry Leyden as Willem MacDonald
Liezel van der Merwe as Emma MacDonald
Jan Ellis He was 56, 71 years old when he died as Nollie

Paljas Crew

Name Department
Paljas poster
Paljas (26 years)

  • Release day: Friday, January 23, 1998
  • Runtime: 119 minutes