Blood and Glory (Afrikaans: Modder en Bloed) is a feature film released in April 2016 in South Africa, set in 1901, at the conclusion of the Second Boer War. The period drama follows Willem Morkel, a Cape rebel (a Boer or Afrikaner) farmer, who was captured and sent to a British prisoner of war camp on the Island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Despite facing oppression and hardships, Morkel and his fellow captives gradually unite, asserting their defiance, humanity, and human spirit, particularly through the game of rugby.[1]

Blood and Glory
Bloed en Glorie
Directed bySean Else
Produced byLlewelynn Greeff

Henk Pretorius

Sean Else
CinematographyAdam Joshua Bentel
Edited byQuinn Lubbe
Music byQuinn Lubbe
Distributed bySter Kinekor
Release date
  • April 2016 (2016-04)
CountrySouth Africa
LanguagesEnglish
Afrikaans

Blood and Glory is a fictional account, using the backdrop of the Boer War, with some of the places in the plot resembling actual locations from the war. The film's protagonist, Willem Morkel, is loosely based on Sommie Morkel, who went on to play for the South Africa national rugby union team.

It is documented that 28,000 Boer women and children, as well as 20,000 black people, died in British concentration camps (Professor Fransjohan Pretorius, 2011 writing for BBC). The film also makes mention of the scorched earth policy implemented by the British commander-in-chief, General Herbert Kitchener, during the Boer War.

Blood and Glory was co-produced by Dark Matter Studios and Collective Dream Films. It was written and directed by Sean Else (Spud 2, Platteland, 'n Man soos My Pa), and produced by Llewelynn Greeff (Leading Lady and The Unfamiliar) and Henk Pretorius (Leading Lady, Fanie Fourie's Lobola, Wolwedans in die Skemer, Hoofmeisie, Bakgat Trilogy and The Unfamiliar)

Cast

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Blood and Glory includes a strong South African male cast, along with five international actors – a first for a South African film:

The film also features appearances from well-known South African actors Greg Kriek, Clyde Berning, Paul Snodgrass, Carla Else and Andrew Lopescher.

Production

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Filming took place during winter in the Western Cape, South Africa in 2015, specifically in the Worcester area and parts of Cape Town. Some sequences were filmed on a boat off the coast of Hout Bay.

Distribution

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The film was released on 1 April 2016 in South Africa via distribution partners of the film Ster Kinekor to 51 cinemas nationwide. The film stayed in cinema for a total of 8 weeks, leaving all sites in South Africa on 19 May 2016.

The producers of the film are currently in talks with the following territories for international distribution of Blood & Glory:

  • UK and Ireland
  • USA & Canada
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Latin America

References

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  1. ^ BritFlicks (6 March 2018). BLOOD AND GLORY Official Trailer (2018) Charlotte Salt. Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via YouTube.
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