Recently I
went to see 'Semi-Soet', a locally produced romantic comedy which opened at 70
cinemas country-wide on Friday. It was predominantly shot on Vrede en Lust wine
estate at the entrance to Franschhoek, and I did not expect to enjoy the movie
and laugh so much. The movie can be expected to see hordes of locals descending
on Franschhoek.
‘Semi-Soet’
was produced by James and Anel (who doubles up as the lead actress) Alexander’s
Scramble Productions, using a cast of well-known television actors, Nico
Panagio being one of the best known actors in the cast, being a Top Billing
presenter, but the other actors are known from series such as 7de Laan,
Binnelanders, and the movie Liefling, also produced by the Alexanders.
The
story line takes two advertising agency teams from Johannesburg to the
Franschhoek wine estate, to be evaluated by Vrede en Lust owner ‘Andries Buys’
for the advertising account. The teams are tested on the farm, in having to
walk the ‘Vryersvoetpad’, a lover’s lane with challenges, not least of all
being a pig! They also have to pick grapes and stomp them in barrels, before
doing a presentation to win the account.
How Vrede
en Lust got to be involved in the movie is not known, with a choice of hundreds
of wine estates in the Winelands. Vrede en Lust owner Dana Buys writes on their
website that they evaluated the past work of the Alexanders. They realized that
a poor movie could badly affect their brand image, but the past work of the
Alexanders (especially the movie ‘Discreet’) made them realize that the chances
of the movie not being successful were small enough to make it worth their
while to participate in the movie. “We had high hopes for Semi-Soet, but I
suspect the movie will do much better than our wildest expectations”. There is
copious branding for Vrede en Lust in the movie, not only in mentioning its
name repeatedly throughout the movie, but also via a wine tasting of the
flagship Boet Erasmus, wine bottles, and branded banners and a lectern.
The movie
has received good reviews, and while some of the humor borders on slapstick, it
is seen to be one of the best Afrikaans and local movies made to date. English
sub-titles make the movie accessible to all South Africans.
The movie
presents Vrede en Lust, and Franschhoek with it, in its glorious beauty, mainly
with the Simonsberg as a backdrop, but also the Paarl Mountains
Funding
for the film was received from the Industrial Development Corporation, and
product placements were paid for in cash or as trade exchanges. Brands seen in
the movie, and acknowledged on the movie’s website, include Avis, 1Time, Alpha
Pharm, Rhapsody’s restaurant, and many more. The movie is good in encouraging
wine-drinking, with an agency account win celebrated with sparkling wine, and
the movie opening with wine-related illustrations, of wine glasses, bunches of
grapes, and vine leaves.
Vrede en
Lust has launched a Vryersvoetpad 2008 Merlot-dominant Bordeaux-style blend in honor
of the movie, as a limited release of 1450 bottles. Each bottle is numbered,
and can be bought at Makro, eStore, and on the wine farm.
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