The Last Victims is a 2019 political drama film directed by Maynard Kraak. The film was filmed entirely on location in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa and world premiered at the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) on 8 February 2019. The film then opened the Rapid Lion - South African International Film Festival at the historic Market Theater in Johannesburg, South Africa on 1 March 2019. It screened "in competition" with three nominations: Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography (Meekaaeel Adam) and Best Actor in a Leading Role (Sean Cameron Michael). The film was then selected at 40th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), Durban South Africa. The film is now selected in competition at Knysna Film Festival, Knysna, South Africa & African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in Nigeria. The film is nominated in 3 different section at AMAA viz. Best Screenplay (Sean Robert Daniels), Best Editing (Terwadkar Rajiv & Cohen Lorenzo Davids) & Best Sound (Janno Muller).

The Last Victims
Directed byMaynard Kraak
Written bySean Robert Daniels
Story bySean Robert Daniels
Terwadkar Rajiv
Produced byMaynard Kraak
Terwadkar Rajiv
StarringSean Cameron Michael
Kurt Egelhof
Wilson Dunster
Baby Cele
Gustav Gerdener
Ashish Gangapersad
Marno van der Merwe
Hayley Owen
CinematographyMeekaaeel Adam
Edited byTerwadkar Rajiv
Cohen Lorenzo Davids
Music byGeo Höhn
Release dates
  • 8 February 2019 (2019-02-08) (Pan African Film Festival)
  • 28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)
Running time
125 minutes
CountrySouth Africa
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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The film follows Dawid, a former member of South Africa's infamous C1 Counter Insurgency death squad, who must atone for his past when he helps one survivor Pravesh search for the bodies of a missing anti-apartheid cell. Unaware that as they hunt for answers, they too are being hunted.

"Notwithstanding that this film is based on real events, it is definitely a uniquely South African story because it’s about a fractured search for reconciliation in the face of a harrowing past that refuses to die out", says Rapid Lion festival director, Eric Miyeni,"It is a great metaphor for today’s South Africa".

Main cast

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  • Sean Cameron Michael - Dawid
  • Kurt Egelhof - Pravesh
  • Marno van der Merwe - Young Dawid
  • Ashish Gangapersad - Young Pravesh
  • Grant Swanby - Warren
  • Wilson Dunster - Francois
  • Mark Mulder - Wouter
  • Deon Coetzee - Viaan
  • Kobus Van Heerden - Young Wouter
  • Tumie Ngumla - Young Lwazi
  • Baby Cele - Old Lwazi
  • Kira Wilkinson - Alice
  • Shelley Meskin - Martha
  • Sasha Stroebel - Luzanne
  • Caitlin Clerk - Phoebe
  • Ferdinand Gernandt - De Beer
  • Sam Phillips - TRC Committee Chair

Accolades

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Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
RapidLion - The South African International Film Festival 1 March 2019 Best Actor Sean Cameron Michael Nominated
Best Cinematographer Meekaaeel Adam Nominated
Best of South Africa Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Nominated
Knysna Film Festival 30 October 2019 Best Film Finalist Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Kurt Egelhof Won
African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) 27 October 2019 Best Screenplay Sean Robert Daniels Nominated
Best Editing Terwadkar Rajiv & Cohen Lorenzo Davids Nominated
Best Sound Design Janno Muller Nominated
Uganda Film Festival 1 December 2019 Best International Feature Film Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Won
South Film and Arts Academy Festival (SFAAF) Best Lead Actor Sean Cameron Michael Won
Best Director in Feature Film Maynard Kraak Won
Best Screenplay in Feature Film Sean Robert Daniels Won
Best Supporting Actor in Feature Film Marno van der Merwe Won
Best Sound Design in Feature Film Janno Muller Won
Best Make up in a Feature Film Cindi Jane Laird Won
Cinematography Honorable Mention in Feature Film Meekaaeel Adam Won
Editing Honorable Mention in Feature Film Terwadkar Rajiv & Cohen Lorenzo Davids Won
Production Honorable Mention In A Feature Film Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Won
Feature Film of the Month Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Won
Best Thriller Feature Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Won
Five Continents International Film Festival (FCIFF) 3 February 2020 Best Thriller Film Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Won
Best Make Up Cindi Jane Laird Won
Special Mention Sound Design Janno Muller Won
Best Screenplay Sean Robert Daniels Nominated
International Screen Awards Best International Film Terwadkar Rajiv & Maynard Kraak Won

References

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