Moving into the Official Race of the 97th Academy Awards Best International Feature, comes Old Righteous Blues, a strong drama by Muneera Sallies. It is an official entry for South Africa. This film was announced to be chosen by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) as the one selected for representation by the South African Academy Awards Selection Committee.
A poignant, music-driven choice for the Oscars marks this year's selection, dealing with the story of a young man looking to mend the wounds of his fractured community with help from Christmas choir music. Old Righteous Blues comes out of nowhere to place the field in an optimistic position in Oscar contention for its international festival stature, without an overall global major exposure since going through festivals like South Africa's Silwerskerm Film Festival, the Romford Festival in the UK, and the Sunscreen Film Festival in Florida.
Plot: A Community Driven Apart by Music, United by It Again
Old Righteous Blues takes its heart and soul from the Kerskoor, a Christmas choir of South African tradition. Short film: it's a story that tells about Hantjie Jansen, as portrayed by Ayden Croy, who sings in his community's choir. The drama unfolds when Hantjie is overlooked for this coveted role of trommelmajoor when his uncle, Oom Jakwes, retires from the position. Hantjie desires to be in the limelight.
This denial is not only deeply personal disappointment-it symbolizes a family feud that spans decades, splitting into two warring factions the once-exalted Old Righteous Blues choir. The fracturing of the choir symbolizes deeper divisions within the community itself-tears caused by betrayal and unhealed emotional wounds left within its breast from previous betrayals. Hantjie's father had made his life-altering decision long ago, an act that spawned the fracture, and since then, the town has lived in its shadow.
However, with this belief that music heals wounds, Hantjie embarks on an audacious mission to bring the split choirs back together and bring harmony into the community. The core of the film lies in this struggle: will music be enough to mend wounds inflicted over years of resentment?
Muneera Sallies' Directorial Vision
Young South African filmmaker Muneera Sallies has written a movie that burrows deep into the reconciliation-through-art theme. Old Righteous Blues is a Christmas choir music homage and, at the same time, meditation of forgiveness and unity over the generational scars of conflict.
Based on an idea from the writer and producer Carol Shore, Sallies has brought to the film the spirit of elation through music and an ugly truth of a family's disposed inheritance. She has narrated the narrative with the fragility of an almost broken community yet with the intimacy of a personal document that can be relatable to a global audience. She shows everyone who has gone through other forms of division within their families, cultures, or societies.
Added performances by Ayden Croy, who takes on the role of the troubled protagonist, and a tremendous supporting cast, where veteran South African actor Ivan Abrahams plays Oom Jakwes, strengthen the entire movie. In the film, he portrays retiring trommelmajoor, showcasing depth in his characteristics with him under the chafing weight of tradition as well as past mistakes burden.
Rich Oscar History – South Africa
South African history at the Academy Awards is significant but spasmodic. The country has been nominated twice for its Best International Feature Film Oscar, winning the coveted prize once in 2005 for Gavin Hood's gripping crime drama Tsotsi. John Trengove's more recent The Wound was shortlisted in 2017 but missed out on a nomination.
Indeed, this year's contender, Old Righteous Blues, does not make an exception in these earlier efforts; it brings a fresh South African tale into international competitiveness. Here, the decision made by NFVF to support Sallies' film shows their faith in its ability to be strong enough to resonate with the global audience, even much beyond the high-profile premieres so many other contenders are known for.
The first sign of its potential was when it screened at South Africa's Silwerskerm Film Festival, the annual outing for Afrikaans cinema. The positive response there spilled over into the Romford festival in England and Florida's Sunscreen Film Festival which gave Old Righteous Blues great hype with its fine storytelling as well as good character work.
The Fox Team Confronts the Oscar Contenders
Although this lesser-known fest debut may be good for Old Righteous Blues, competition in this Best International Feature category is not easy. Traditionally, films that have received this nomination came from bigger festivals such as Cannes, Venice, or Toronto of which drew big crowds and significant attention from Academy voters. Sallies' film needs to first bridge this gap in exposure as it marches toward the final round of Oscar voting.
But stress on universal themes like community, reconciliation, and music may play to the movie's strength. Movies that can tell the resilience of the human spirit always put Oscar voters on the spot. If Old Righteous Blues keeps picking up steam in the weeks leading up to the Academy Awards, it might just make it into the exclusive group of South African Oscar-nominated films.
Oscar 2025 Calendar Highlights
This is a critical time in the competition, especially since the notice for Oscar shortlists will be published on December 17, 2024. The filmmaking community in South Africa and internationally will be keenly watching as it trims down the list of contenders for Best International Feature category to determine which ones made the final nominations cut on January 17, 2025.
For Old Righteous Blues to make it to the shortlist or even better, to the nominations, will be of great achievement for South African cinema. The results will be announced in the Academy Awards scheduled to take place on March 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.
In the meantime, this journey of the film reminds people of the power of storytelling in uniting people from apparently vastly different cultures. Whether it comes home with the Oscar or not, Old Righteous Blues has already achieved its aim: healing, inspiring, and uplifting through music.
Old Righteous Blues is a poignant tale of reconciliation and unity bearing the hopes of South Africa for another Oscar win. This movie throws light on the healing power of music and the need to face the past to move on with this film, its directorial vision, and the enjoyable performance by its cast. The path to the Oscars is long and arduous, yet the Old Righteous Blues will continue to resound in audiences' ears, reminding people of the strength community gathers as a verb and the inclusive language that music embodies.
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