Oliver Schmitz
Un Certain Regard reveals Chanda’s Secret
Life above All is the third film by Oliver Schmitz to be selected for Un Certain Regard. This politically engaged South African director presented Mapantsula in 1988 and Hijack Stories in 2001 at Cannes, both of which treat the subject of apartheid. With Life above All, Oliver Schmitz talks about AIDS, a polemical subject in his native country. The film will be screened at 11:15 in the Salle Debussy.
In a township near Johannesburg, little Chanda sees her family destroy itself and her mother flee. Her mother, suffering from AIDS, gives birth to Sara, who dies shortly after birth. This death awakens suspicions about the illness, which is a source of prejudice and rejection. This film is adapted from the novel Chanda’s Secret, by Canadian author Allan Stratton. Oliver Schmitz committed to his film project immediately after reading the book: “I think Allan Stratton found a very good way of showing the impact of AIDS in South Africa.”
In 2009, Oliver Schmitz invited Allan Stratton onto the shoot locations. It was a meeting the director was nervous about because of the modifications made to the original story. “Although the main story remains the same, many little changes were made. Allan Stratton’s novel is located in Africa, but we have tried to remain very specific in terms of language and culture. For me, this sort of detail is crucial because I want to be sure that I’m faithfully representing our universal history.” Allan Stratton complimented Oliver Schmitz and his work.
TK
