The Indie Karoo Film Festival is a platform for independent filmmakers and enables local audiences to discover some of South Africa’s most exciting emerging talent. This year’s film selection included more than 40 films from South Africa and across the continent and beyond.

Set in Cape Town and directed by Gerrit Schoonhoven, Twee Grade van Moord looks at homicide from two very different points of view: one reflects the ultimate act of self-centredness, the other a selfless act of mercy. The film releases nationwide on Friday, 22 July 2016.

“I would like to thank the organisers and the judges of the festival for this honour,” says producer Barry Strick. “We are exceptionally proud of the award, as it speaks to the quality of the film and to the excellence of its well-loved cast. I am especially grateful to Sandra, Marius, Gerrit, Anita le Roux who wrote the script, and the film’s editor, Ronelle Loots, for their unwavering support.”

The Afrikaans feature film (with English sub-titles), which had its premiere at the festival, was screened at the flagship venue, The Showroom Theatre. It is produced by Barry Strick of Inverse Films, and Full Faculty Films, in collaboration with Waterfront Film Studios and the Department of Trade and Industry (dti). The film is distributed in South Africa by Indigenous Film Distribution.

Twee Grade van Moord tells the story of Aleksa Cloete (Sandra Prinsloo), a well-known Cape Town psychologist, has authored a bestseller, Love Doesn’t Hurt, but despite her long and happy marriage to husband Ben (Marius Weyers), she has an entirely intellectual view of love. Their only child Christiaan (Roelof Storm) was forced, while growing up, to find much needed nurturing from his ‘second mother’, loyal housekeeper Fy Abrahams (Shaleen Surtie-Richards). 

As the story unfolds, Aleksa is forced to question her integrity and confront her ability to make sacrifices for the people she cares about. Ultimately, she has to confront the question: “What would love do?”

“Prinsloo and Weyers, both extremely accomplished and talented performers, shine in what is a complex, profound investigation into the nature of love,” says Helen Kuun, CEO of Indigenous Film Distribution. “They have appeared in only four films together, including the world famous The Gods Must Be Crazy in 1981. They last appeared in a film together in 1989, making Twee Grade van Moord a long overdue cinematic reunion for them and marking a milestone in South Africa’s cinema history.”

Watch the trailer here.

For more information, connect with the film on Facebook using the #WatSouDieLiefdeNouDoen? hashtag.