Emerging filmmakers: Steek vir steek
In Jaco van Bosch and Jacqueline Viljoen’s Steek vir steek, a group of knitting circle ladies find themselves on the verge of being kicked out of their old age home. When the receptionist, Koekie (also played by Viljoen), and Rita (Susan Coetzer) create a dating app for their knitting comrades to meet older men – at a fee! – to raise funds for renting a house, the young owner Gertjie puts a spoke in the wheel. Not only is the roof over Rita’s head in jeopardy, but also her romance with Gertjie’s grandfather …
Jaco van Bosch told us more about the comedy.
How did you become involved with the film as co-screenwriter and director?
I have known Jackie Viljoen, who co-wrote the screenplay with me, since early 2022 when we met on the set of the kykNET Story film Vlamme. She was in the cast, and I was one of the editors. We quickly became friends and realised that we enjoy writing together. When Jackie received news in 2023 that her concept was selected as a finalist for this year’s Silwerskerm Festival, she immediately approached me to be the director.
In December 2023, when she almost completed the screenplay, she asked me to help with the finishing touches. We then gave the story a big overhaul to get it to the current version.
What was the biggest challenge you both encountered?
There were two obstacles we had to overcome. Firstly, the original text was too long for the short film format, and it was difficult to cut it down to 30 minutes.
Another major challenge was when we lost one of our lead actors just before he had to show up on set at five in the morning. It was the third day of filming, and we scheduled all the Oom Gert scenes for that day, but our actor then informed us that he was gravely ill and couldn’t make it.
Jackie phoned me up and we started thinking of a replacement. I immediately had Jürgen Helberg in mind, and we got hold of his agent and made all the arrangements. Jürgen was on set at noon that day, and I sat down with him for an hour to discuss the character. He immediately grasped what I wanted and proved to be perfect for the role! What an outstanding human being!
It was therefore a challenge that turned into something positive.
Tell us more of your experience with the screenplay.
It was so much fun to work on the screenplay. When Jackie shared her idea with me, I was hooked instantly. It was a challenging story with the largest number of characters I ever had to balance in one film. Our biggest task was to simplify the story and put more emphasis on the acting.
What stands out as a highlight of the project?
I would highlight the last evening of shooting. We were already two hours over schedule when we finished the second last shot. The team was tired, but everybody was in good spirits. I then shouted, “One more shot!” That became a slogan for the entire team. In the tiny restaurant in Melville where we filmed, we all shouted, “One more shot! One more shot!”
It was so pleasant to have a group of creative souls around who gave their time to tell this story. It was a joy to work with every one of them.
Any lessons learnt?
The biggest lesson I learnt is to always think creatively. Things don’t always work out as you imagined them when you read the text, but with talented, creative people around you, you can always make the best of any situation.
How did you decide on the narrative style? Were there influences from other movies?
Both Jackie and I are fans of the Ocean’s film series, like Ocean’s Twelve, and we wanted to make use of that style. We used the Ocean’s series as reference for the heist montages, as well as a number of other comedy movies, some of them featuring older actors, like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Mamma Mia. And also films we simply enjoyed watching, such as Lady Bird, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Triangle of Sadness.
What was it like to work with veteran actors like Susan Coetzer?
It was a great honour to work with such excellent and well-known names in the industry. They made my job much easier. I had only a few character discussions with each actor, and they immediately understood what I wanted. They added dimensions to the characters which I could not even imagine! I am extremely grateful to them.
Are there any of the characters you identify with?
I think the character I identify with most is Rita. I believe people are always on the lookout for acceptance and happiness; these are difficult to find, and once you find something that gives you those things, you want to hang on to it as long as possible. And very often, it is precisely our fear that it will vanish, that leads to the loss of it. Rita had to learn what is of importance to her and what the best outcome would be – not only for herself, but also her friends.
What excites you about the local industry now?
With all the channels and online platforms offering prospects for local stories, especially in Afrikaans, I think there are way more opportunities for storytelling. I am looking forward to seeing what more we will be able to do in the future, and how the rest of the world will buy in.