Vaselinetjie, Anoeschka Von Meck’s celebrated youth novel, will be released as a full-length feature film on 22 September 2017
Vaselinetjie (Helena) is raised by her loving coloured grandparents in a remote rural village in the Northern Cape. Upon learning that Vaselinetjie is not her the couple’s biological grandchild, the welfare intervenes and sends Vaselinetjie to a state-run orphanage in Johannesburg.
Life in Johannesburg is entirely different from Vaselinetjie’s loving environment at home and for the first time she is confronted with the harsh realities of life, tough kids, making friends and fitting in. It’s a world where no one cares about anyone else and she also learns not to care. It is only when she falls in love with the rebellious orphan boy, Texan Kirby, that she’s forced to confront the true meaning of her past.
Vaselinetjie is a story about defining one’s identity and race within the turmoil of post-Apartheid South Africa and the long road to discovering who you really are; a tribute to the strength of the human spirit, the power of love and our ability to triumph despite all odds.
Husband and wife Corné and René van Rooyen, wrote the script and Corné also directed Vaselinetjie. Together the couple co-wrote and -produced the film Hollywood In My Huis, which was released in 2014. René wrote and directed Mooirivier (2015) and Corné was the director of Sy Klink Soos Lente (2016).
Nicole Bond and Marguerite van Eeden make their silver screen debuts, respectively, as the young and older Vaselinetjie Bosman. The film also stars Arno Greeff, Elzet Nel, Elani Dekker, Marise Loots, Anchen du Plessis, Daniah de Villiers and veteran actors Royston Stoffels and Shaleen Surtie-Richards.
