I’ve always loved fantasy stories, and there’s something special about travelling to a world that’s pure magic. It’s even better when that world is Afrikaans.
Growing up in an Afrikaans home meant that we were raised by stories. It was either stories passed down from generations before or stuff made up on the spot. Either way, there was always room for our imagination to go to places our reality never could. It’s kind of funny how so many Afrikaans mythologies are the same, even though we are all culturally different.
Silas en Die Ysbeer op Tafelberg is one of those stories that takes me back to my childhood. The characters come from tales I was told or that I picked up from friends, and ironically, that’s what makes this story feel real. Apart from that, this film also covers a few different themes like friendship, acceptance, adventure and, most importantly, grief.
The film follows Silas, a young boy whose grandmother suddenly passes away, and he goes into dreamland to find her. He is joined by his neighbour, Willemien, and along the way, they make some new mystical friends. The film feels like a crossover between all the best 80s and 90s films, but based on South African mythology.
That all said, I went into this movie blind. I saw the poster and heard that they used a lot of practical effects, and that was enough to intrigue me. I am genuinely surprised by what the cast and crew were able to do with this film. It’s not just the technical aspects that I ended up loving, but the story really resonated with me.
I, too, made friends in the most difficult circumstances, and I, too, lost a grandparent when I was Silas’ age, so that really spoke to me. The way this film dealt with that loss was beautiful. Kids don’t usually understand death the way we do, so this story isn’t just a way for them to understand it, but it also tells them that a life lost isn’t love lost.
I can go on and on about the story, but I want to stand still at the cast for a while. Neels Claasen Jr. plays the role of Silas, and he does an amazing job. He is joined by Luna Coetser as Willemien, and she is a real scene-stealer. They really own the screen as if they’ve been in the business for years. Antoinette Kellermann stars as Silas’ grandmother.
They are joined by Beer Adriaanse, Neil Sandilands, Daneel van der Walt, Frieda van den Heever and Brandon Daniels, who fill out the rest of the cast, and they are great. Zandré Coetzer beautifully directed this film, capturing the beauty of Cape Town and the magic of dreamland. The film comes from an idea she conceived, and it was written by Annie Klopper, who really knows how to tell a strong emotional story with just the right amount of humour.
As with any other movie, I feel like the soundtrack and score can make or break a film. This one has a great score. It feels magical and very South African. Did I mention that this movie is also a musical? It has a few catchy songs, and a lot of the dialogue also rhymes, which makes it feel like a storybook come to life.
As I said earlier, this movie used some practical effects, and it is breathtaking. The polar bear moves effortlessly, and it feels like something you’d see in a dream. I love the makeup, costumes and sets. It really just transports you into this fantasy world. It reminded me how beautiful pure imagination can be. We can all imagine, but it takes movie magic to bring all of that to life.
This is the must-watch Afrikaans family film. I don’t think we’ve had one in a while, and this is genuinely for all ages. Who knows, maybe this film is exactly what you need to deal with grief or to find a little optimism during a hard time.
Silas en die Ysbeer op Tafelberg is nothing less than magical and an easy 4 out of 5 stars for me.
