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Cape Town – The veteran opera singer Mimi Coertse is set to make her big screen debut just five months before her 80th birthday.
"Fame at last!" Coertse joked.
During the 1950's Coertse enjoyed worldwide fame as an opera singer, especially in Vienna, Austria – where she is still referred to as "unsere Mimi" (our Mimi).
"After this I will be able to boast that I have portrayed roles on stage, on TV and in film," said Coertse referring to the role that she has bagged in the film, Talent.
Filming starts next month.
Inspiring stories
The film is loosely based on the true stories of four local artists who overcame very difficult circumstances to make a name for themselves, according to Johan Swanepoel of Trio Productions. Swanepoel wrote the screenplay and will also be at the helm as director.
It is the inspiring tale of James Bhemgee, a street sweeper whose fantastic voice was discovered while he cleaned the streets of Cape Town that lead to Mimi's role. Bhemgee was later crowned the winner of SA's Got Talent in 2010.
In Talent the character works as a refuse collector whose voice is discovered. Coertse plays the role of Anne Duval who takes the young singer (played by Kevin Leo) under her wing and eventually leads him to fame.
Other celebrities who will feature in the film include Frank Opperman, Paul du Toit, Elma Postma and Helene Lombard.
Coertse mentioned that she had appeared in films in the past, but never as a character. "I played myself and sang, but this will be the first time that I will play a character."
"Fame at last!" Coertse joked.
During the 1950's Coertse enjoyed worldwide fame as an opera singer, especially in Vienna, Austria – where she is still referred to as "unsere Mimi" (our Mimi).
"After this I will be able to boast that I have portrayed roles on stage, on TV and in film," said Coertse referring to the role that she has bagged in the film, Talent.
Filming starts next month.
Inspiring stories
The film is loosely based on the true stories of four local artists who overcame very difficult circumstances to make a name for themselves, according to Johan Swanepoel of Trio Productions. Swanepoel wrote the screenplay and will also be at the helm as director.
It is the inspiring tale of James Bhemgee, a street sweeper whose fantastic voice was discovered while he cleaned the streets of Cape Town that lead to Mimi's role. Bhemgee was later crowned the winner of SA's Got Talent in 2010.
In Talent the character works as a refuse collector whose voice is discovered. Coertse plays the role of Anne Duval who takes the young singer (played by Kevin Leo) under her wing and eventually leads him to fame.
Other celebrities who will feature in the film include Frank Opperman, Paul du Toit, Elma Postma and Helene Lombard.
Coertse mentioned that she had appeared in films in the past, but never as a character. "I played myself and sang, but this will be the first time that I will play a character."
