Entertainment Reporter
THE viral video with a catchphrase that captured the heart of the nation is getting the big-screen treatment as MultiChoice announces the production of the feature film My F*k, Marelize at this year’s Silwerskerm Festival in Cape Town.
Set in Windhoek, Namibia, and inspired by the true events leading up to the now infamous rugby pole incident, the film follows the accident-prone Marelize Horn as she prepares to become an au pair in the Netherlands, while her mother, Heidi Horn, handles a cancer diagnosis. This all takes place against the backdrop of WIKA, the annual Windhoek Carnival.
Written by Safta-winning screenwriter Brett Michael Innes (Sink, Fiela se Kind), the film marks the feature film debut of Zandré Coetzer, a television director known for her work on the South African hit series Dinge van ‘n Kind, based on the beloved YA novel by Marita van der Vyver. Coetzer is also known for producing the mini-series Donkerbos, which won five Safta Awards and was sold internationally.
“This film is going to surprise everyone,” says Innes. “When people think of a movie based on the phrase ‘my f*k, Marelize,’ they’re probably expecting a slapstick comedy about a teenager who bumps into things all the time. The story of the Horn family has so much more depth than that, and we can’t wait to surprise viewers with it.”
Director Coetzer said that the story is a celebration of life and showcases how people in Namibia and South Africa greet every challenge with a joke and face it with laughter.
“I was fortunate to spend time with the Horn family, and witnessing their dynamic as a unit gave me such a clear vision for the film. As an Afrikaner, it is really special to be able to celebrate my language, culture, and people in a story that speaks to our humour and way of life,” Coetzer said.
A Namibian and South African co-production, the film is a collaboration with Windhoek-based producers Joel Haikali and Sophie Haikali from Joe Vision Productions (co-producers of 2024 Berlinale-selected Pepe) and Cape Town production companies Nagvlug Films and Nostalgia Productions. Paulo Areal (Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story, Five Fingers for Marseilles) rounds out the producing team with financing from the National Film & Video Foundation, kykNET Films, and MultiChoice Namibia.
The Horn family—Marelize, Heidi, Tiaan, and Wilmari—have been involved since the start of the film’s development. They opened their homes and lives to the production team. Filming is set to start in September.
“It’s crazy how this keeps growing,” says Marelize Horn. “When I got a random Facebook message from Brett last year about wanting to make a film about our family, I didn’t know quite what to expect. Now they’re about to start filming, and I can’t wait to see how our experience is brought to life,” she concluded.
