“Life is a journey of faith and grace. Never stop dreaming, because dreams are the building blocks of hope,” says writer-director Simoné Pretorius, who makes her directorial debut with the new South African film Som Van Twee.
Som Van Twee has already garnered attention, winning several prestigious awards, including Best Feature Film at the 2024 kykNET Silwerskermfees. The screenplay, written by Simoné Pretorius and Liani Jansen van Rensburg, draws on the universal experiences of love, loss, and redemption to create a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences
“It’s hard to believe, but it’s based on a true story. My fellow screenwriter, Liani Janse van Rensburg, discovered an article about a woman in the Netherlands, Melissa Kelderhoff, who admitted at a school reunion that she saw her Biology paper before writing the final exam. The story reached the Minister of Education, Culture and Science, who then decided that the country’s 1992 matric group had to rewrite the exam,” says Pretorius. “Of course, we adapted and changed the story extensively. ‘
“It took many rewrites of the screenplay before the characters finally settled and the themes came through adequately, so it was important to drive the process through to the floor before allowing the actors to further breathe life into the characters. While I was writing, I directed all the performances in my head, and while directing, I rewrote the script. It worked out well,” says Pretorius.
The film delves deep into the intricate relationships within a family, particularly focusing on the bond between a father and his son. It explores how grief and loss can either pull family members apart or bring them closer together.
Henk Opperman’s journey is one of self-discovery and redemption. His struggle to connect with his son, Renier, after the tragic loss of his wife is a central theme. The story highlights the process of forgiveness and the importance of making amends.
It aims to resonate with audiences by portraying raw, genuine emotions and the complexities of human relationships. It is a story of hope, reconciliation, and the enduring power of love and understanding.
The story follows Henk Opperman (Louw Venter), a psychologist coping with the emotional aftermath of losing his wife in a tragic car accident. He struggles to connect with his son Renier (Adriaan Havenga), who masks his emotions behind anger and denial. During Nicolene’s funeral, Henk confesses to leaking the Matric Math Paper to Barberton in 1990. An investigation leads to an ultimatum: retake the exam in Barberton or forfeit academic records. Henk and Renier reconcile as Renier tutors him, joined by Henk’s eccentric father and Renier’s friends. Tensions rise with Henk’s classmates, culminating in a pivotal moment where Henk must choose between reconciling with his son and saving his career.
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Simoné Pretorius
“It has been a dream for ten years. Bennie Fourie recommended that I read Judith Weston’s Directing Actors when we worked together on Vir die voëls. At that stage I regarded the book as a guideline to what directors expect from actors, but I became aware that I was reading the book with a director’s eye. Later, with other projects, I realised it was quite tough not to want to direct myself all the time, and with the last role I played, I felt ready to take charge. At the same time, I suffered severely of imposter syndrome and doubted my own abilities. But when I wrote my first screenplay in 2019, I started feeling confident about my journey to becoming a director. It took five years and three undeveloped screenplays on the shelf, but I am grateful that the road led me here.”
Simoné Pretorius (née Nortmann) is a South African actress, director, screenwriter, and producer. She was born on May 18, 1990, in Pretoria, South Africa. Simoné gained prominence for her role as Irma Humpel in the 2016 Afrikaans biographical film “Vir die Voëls,” for which she received both national and international acclaim. She made her television debut in the popular Afrikaans soap “7de Laan” in 2013 as Nadia Croukamp, earning the Best Newcomer award at the Royalty Soapie Awards in 20143. Simoné has starred in several South African box office hits and award-winning films, including “Vuil Wasgoed” (2017), “Stroomop” (2018), “Wonderlus” (2018), and “Vlugtig” (2020). In 2024, she made her screenwriting and directorial debut with the film Som van Twee, which won seven awards at the Cape Town Silwerskerm festival, including Best Director and Best Screenplay. Simoné is also the founder and managing director of Art of Acting South Africa.
Liani Jansen van Rensburg is a South African screenwriter known for her work on Som van Twee (2024), “Blindelings” (2023), the story of René, a brilliant, blind pianist with synesthesia, whose life changes after an assault on the night of her first solo performance, and “Een Keer Om Die Son” (2024), a television drama series depicting a month in the lives of a seemingly happy family, exploring their trials and tribulations over a year.
