Verwerking examines violence by focusing on the writing process

The 14th kykNET Silwerskerm Festival returns to Camps Bay, Cape Town, from 19 to 22 August, bringing together a diverse collection of South African films and filmmakers and giving audiences the opportunity to discover stories that entertain, challenge and spark important conversations. Among the short films making their debut is Verwerking, an intriguing exploration of creativity, trauma and the unsettling ways a story can take on a life of its own.

The writing process and the impact of a dramatic story on the writer are examined in the short film Verwerking, which makes its debut this August at the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival in Cape Town. At the heart of the film is an unusual and compelling idea: what happens when the story a writer is creating begins to blur with his own reality?

A screenwriter, Jason (Jaques De Silva), grapples with a scene about gender-based violence. While he sits feverishly at his desk typing, the words begin to distort the reality around him. The word “Ma” (Bianca Flanders) on the page causes a woman to appear in the room; the word “Pa” (Stian Bam) a man to strike her. Time and space become intertwined, and suddenly the writer finds himself in the midst of a horrifying moment that has haunted him for years. The result is a short film that uses the creative process itself to peel back layers of memory, trauma and imagination, while giving Silwerskerm audiences another distinctive story to discover.

Peter-John Titus, a musician and songwriter, makes his debut as a filmmaker with the short film Verwerking.

Why a story specifically with gender-based violence (GBV) as a theme?

I would not say GBV is the central theme. With this short film, I wanted to investigate the creative process of artists – specifically screenwriters. What happens in their minds? What do they see or hear when they write stories? How much of what they write comes from memories? GBV is central to our main character’s hidden past. Although the theme of the film is the creative process, GBV is the story engine that drives the narrative.

You also focus on the complexity of violent relationships. Please elaborate.

People are complex – no two people’s framework of thinking is the same. The reasons why people resort to violence are sometimes obvious and sometimes not. This does not mean I excuse the physical or psychological violence – all we can do is hold up a mirror that reflects the truth of the world. My endeavour is therefore to tell a character’s story with credibility and compassion.

What role can such a film play in raising awareness? And who is allowed to tell these stories?

Verwerking – like the film Sewe (about a woman who repeatedly tries to leave her violent husband), which made its debut at the Silwerskerm Festival last year – has the power to spark conversations, create new perspectives, and hopefully promote introspection. I think anyone can tell these stories, with sensitivity in mind. The fact that GBV is illuminated from a man’s perspective creates space for men to tell their stories – not only as perpetrators but also as victims.

You use different genres and styles. Tell us more, including about the motivation behind this.

I definitely employ different genres through Jason’s imagination, which manifests in his home while he writes. During pre-production, I did some research into the connection between artists and neurodiversity and came across the character traits of hyperphantasia. This excited me about playing with the different genres, because it comes naturally to my main character. I was also able to experiment with different socio-economic classes, language policing, and dialects to show how Jason’s imagination not only reveals his inner world, but also the social realities, power dynamics, and memories that shaped his trauma.

What is the thinking behind the title? Is that where the hope lies?

The title is ambiguous – a play on words, if you will. Jason processes his psychological trauma, while simultaneously incorporating that very same trauma into a screenplay. I believe there is most certainly hope. I think if we as men build on what the women of South Africa have already achieved by having GBVF declared a national disaster, we will as a nation reach greater heights.

*The 14th kykNET Silwerskerm Festival takes place from 19 to 22 August in Camps Bay, Cape Town. Tickets for the films, as well as the prestigious awards ceremony on Saturday, 22 August, are available at Quicket. 

For the full programme, visit www.silwerskermfees.co.za