Paljas

Paljas (English title: (The) Clown) is a 1997 Afrikaans language South African film. Paljas was written by Chris Barnard and directed by Katinka Heyns. It is based on the book of the same name.

Paljas
Directed by	Katinka Heyns
Screenplay by	Chris Barnard
Starring	Marius Weyers
Music by	Sue Grealy
Release date	23 January 1997 (1997-01-23)
Running time	119 minutes
Country	South Africa
Language	Afrikaans

Synopsis

The film revolves around the lives of the rural McDonald family. The household of Hendrik McDonald, stationmaster of the tiny Karoo town, Toorwater ("Magic-water"),^[1] experience a number of unexpected situations when a travelling circus troupe leave behind a clown named Manuel. The intrigues of the story include the estranged relationship between Hendrik and his wife Katrien, partly due to her being admired by Frans Lombard. Meanwhile, their daughter Emma is discontented with her suitor, Nollie Kemp, and Willem, the household's youngest, remains withdrawn and refuses to talk. The continued presence of the eccentric clown, Manuel, is kept secret by Willem. Manuel is later cruelly chased and shot by some of the local community who consider him to be evidence of anti-Christian forces despite having succeeded in convincing Willem to communicate and healed much of the family's pain through his caring and fun nature.^[2]

Cast

The cast includes:^[3]

• Marius Weyers as Hendrik MacDonald
• Ellis Pearson as Manuel
• Jan Ellis as Nollie
• Gérard Rudolf as Jan Mol
• Aletta Bezuidenhout as Katrina MacDonald
• Larry Leyden as Willem MacDonald
• Liezel van der Merwe as Emma MacDonald
• Marthinus Bason as Dominee
• Ian Roberts as Frans

Production

Paljas means "magic" or to cast a spell.^[1] The English title of the film is Clown.^[4] or The Clown.^[5][6]

Awards

The film was submitted for the 70th Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, the first South African submission since the end of apartheid.^[7][8]

See also

• List of submissions to the 70th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of South African submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

References

1. "The Road Less Travelled - Hoekplaas, Warmbad, Barandas" - Section: "Paljas the Movie" (with a photo from the movie set), Uniondale, Access date: 27 May 2022
2. Paljas-1998, Film.moviesaz (Trailer and Synopsis), Access date: 27 May 2022
3. Paljas (1998) - Katinka Heyns | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 23 March 2023
4. "Paljas 1997 (Clown)". Dailymotion. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
5. Botski, Kristoff (14 September 2023). "Paljas (1997) AKA The Clown". rarefilmm. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
6. Encountering Modernity: Twentieth Century South African Cinemas, Keyan G. Tomaselli, Rozenberg Publishers, 2006, Page: 51 (with some explanations on the word "paljas").
7. Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
8. "44 Countries Hoping for Oscar Nominations". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 24 November 1997. Archived from the original on 13 February 1998. Retrieved 13 October 2015.

Further reading

• Paljas at AFI Fest
• Paljas , Variety, Leonard Klady, 16 March 1998

External links

• Paljas at IMDb
• MNet All Africa Film Awards