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SA's 'Canary' spreads its wings to the USA

Cape Town - Christiaan Olwagen's 80's musical drama, Canary (Kanarie), starring comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout, will be celebrating its theatrical release in Los Angeles at the Leammle Glendale theatre on Friday, 7 June, followed by a release on DVD and VOD on 18 June.

Based on a true story, the film is set in 1985 South Africa at the height of Apartheid, which serves as the backdrop for an untold love story and a journey to self-acceptance. After being picked up by Breaking Glass Pictures, the North American release aligns well with pride month celebrations in the U.S.A.

READ MORE: Canary – A brilliant gay Afrikaans film that sings its little heart out

"Engaging and heartfelt, this moving coming-of-age tale transports us back to the mid-80s, when outsiders and lost souls turned to the glorious voice of Boy George to give us hope and guidance", said Richard Ross, co-president of Breaking Glass.

Richard added: "Anchored by truly amazing performances and superb writing, Kanarie is one of the most memorable films in recent years and an important and outstanding addition to our line-up."

Locally, the movie surpassed all expectations at the box office in 2018. (Read more here)

The film also received accolades overseas and boasts with more than 17 awards to date from film festivals around the world, including Best LGBTQ film at the Cape Town international film market & festival, Best Narrative Feature at the Chicago Reeling film festival and Best Feature Film at the Roze Filmdagen festival in Amsterdam.

One of the producers of the film, Roelof Storm, and director Christiaan Olwagen, will be in the United States during the release to represent the film and their country. "We are very proud of this milestone achievement for our small SA film and are excited to keep building our audiences abroad. It is clear that the story transcends language and culture and speaks to a humanity that many can relate to." says Jaco Smit, CEO of Marche Media.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:


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