Short film by established filmmakers: Totsiens, Selina
With the short film Totsiens, Selina, director Lourensa Eckard pays tribute to a woman who had a formative influence on her life. Lourensa and producer Wynette Theart co-wrote the screenplay.
They reflect on this Silwerskermfees project:
Lourensa, what inspired you to write Totsiens, Selina?
For me, it’s a very personal story. Our domestic worker, Johannah Masilela, who helped raise me and my sister, passed away after being ill for some time. Totsiens, Selina is therefore rooted in personal experience, though there are differences between our story and the film.
The story Totsiens, Selina tells is familiar, but it may be one many (white) viewers prefer to shy away from, as it confronts them with an uncomfortable reality. Why do you think people should watch the film?
Lourensa: I never want to preach or dictate to people, and what I tried to do with this film was simply tell a story that shaped my life. It’s a tribute to a woman who helped make me who I am today. I know there are many white South Africans who’ve had similar experiences, but instead of confronting them with that, I wanted to create a space where viewers can simply sit with their emotions. These are difficult emotions to articulate, but most of us have felt something like this before.
Lourensa, this is your second short film at Silwerskermfees following your debut Marie se laaste dag last year. How was the experience different?
I’m not sure I’ve grown – this was just as challenging as the first film I made. But with this film, I did feel a greater responsibility to do justice to the themes and issues that form the foundation of Totsiens, Selina.
Wynette and Lourensa, you co-wrote the screenplay. Tell us about that process and how you collaborated, especially in your different roles as director and producer?
Wynette: We are brutally honest with each other when we work together, and although we sometimes clash on ideas, it’s always to the benefit of the project. We kept reworking the script until it felt right to both of us. It was important that we were both emotionally moved by the text where it was intended to evoke emotion. Lourensa also knows exactly what she wants to say and how to shape it into a story.
Lourensa: As a producer, Wynette is a very practical thinker, but she’s also an emotional and deeply thoughtful writer. Together, we wanted to create something that could honour Johannah, and as long as the script does that, we’re happy.
Wynette, what does the production process of a short film like this demand, and what specific challenges did you face?
One of the biggest challenges was finding the right set or location. It’s often really difficult to find the perfect place. One of our friends and longtime colleagues, Xolani Nhlapo – also at the festival this year with his documentary Felix by die koppie – helped us find Selina’s house. It was exactly what we had envisioned, but we had to spend money on transport to Evaton, where the house is located, and plan logistics carefully because of the bad roads leading there.
The shoot days were scorching hot, and there was no electricity nearby, so we had to bring along cool boxes filled with a lot of ice and hope it would last to keep our food and water cold during the day. But we made it work with the team’s cooperation. The actors didn’t complain once!
As a producer, I thrive when faced with challenges like this. It was one of the most demanding but most enjoyable shoots I’ve ever done.
The film features a strong cast with three women at its core. Tell us more about Lorraine Burger as Susan, Clementine Mosimane as Selina, and Maki Mokhitli as Mary.
Lourensa: We couldn’t believe these amazing actors agreed to work with us. Clementine is a living legend, and it was an absolute honour to work with her. She has a very maternal nature but is also a total rock star when it comes to production. We tried to treat her (and all our actors) with the utmost care, but she kept saying she didn’t want special treatment – she was part of the team. And that was the attitude of the whole cast.
Wynette: Lorraine is incredibly talented and was so precious to us! From the beginning, Lourensa saw her as Susan, and she was perfect. She was also incredibly helpful during the writing process and assisted us with emotional processing. Maki is lovely and strikingly beautiful. Her professionalism, like that of the others, was something to behold. It’s so rewarding to see how they brought the script to life. And yes, three strong women, each playing a vital and inseparable role in the life of Jakobus (played by Erasmus Esterhuizen).