WATCH: Marc Lottering, Armand Aucamp, Pieter-Dirk Uys on being 'called a moffie'

After receiving rave reviews abroad and scoring five-out-five stars in Channe24’s review, the poignant war film Moffie will finally open in SA cinemas on Friday, 13 March.

The film tells the story of a young conscript who battles to survive compulsory service in apartheid-South Africa’s military while confronting toxic masculinity and coming to terms with his sexual orientation.

In recent weeks, in anticipation of the film’s South African premiere director Oliver Hermanus shared and discussed the film with a select few gay men for whom he has great admiration, and sat down to talk about their experience of the word "moffie."

These conversations form part of the #calledamoffie campaign by Portobello Productions – the team behind the movie – to denuclearise the word and the hurt it has caused so many people.

Videos of these conversations are available to watch on the film’s website and features actor Armand Aucamp, comedians Marc Lottering, Pieter-Dirk Uys and Casper de Vries, TV and radio personality Rian van Heerden, politician Siphesihle Dube, fashion designer Lukhanyo Mdingi, business consultant and founder of the Gay Pages, Rubin van Niekerk, sexual health activist Phumlani Kango, and Damian Engelbrecht, the first openly gay contestant on the reality series Boer Soek 'n Vrou.

ARMAND AUCAMP SHARES HIS STORY:

Of his decision to select Moffie as the title, Hermanus says it is not just about the word itself – more so its impact: "I’ve always been conscious of my intention to make a film called Moffie. The only place in the world where that word means anything is here, South Africa. I have toured this film, and continue to tour it around the globe but its most affected audience, its intended audience, is my fellow South Africans."

MARC LOTTERING SHARES HIS STORY:

Hermanus adds: "There is a very particular moment in this film that I draw from my own lived experience. Of course, I adapted it, but it was a moment in my life that defined me for a long time. Our power as storytellers is to create awareness and discussion, to activate a conversation and share ideas."

Moffie stars Kai Luke Brümmer, Hitlon Pelser, Matthew Vey, Stefan Vermaak, and Ryan de Villliers. It is produced by Eric Abraham, Jack Sidey and co-produced by Theresa Ryan- van Graan. Moffie is produced by Portobello Productions and Penzance Films. 

PIETER DIRK UYS SHARES HIS STORY:

READ NEXT:

MOFFIE REVIEW: A burly battle cry that fiercely upends the toxicity that masculinity is rooted in

LISTEN: A roundtable conversation with the cast of ‘Moffie’ about gender, war, and sexuality

SIPHESIHLE DUBE SHARES HIS STORY:

Compiled by Herman Eloff.