Directing
A local weekly entertainment news magazine show.
Frank Opperman is a chameleon who was just as convincing as the tormented reverend in Dominee Tienie as he was as the bumbling mechanic Ouboet in Orkney snork nie. His portrayal of these beloved characters has made him a national treasure. Frank doesn't just play a role - he becomes the character. Now, Frankie Opperman, director and Frank's son, has made an intimate documentary series about his father.
The story is set in the mountains of Kwazulu-Natal on the farm Donkerland. It follows the lives and times of seven generations of the De Witt family, from the Groot Trek in 1838 until 1996.
Pandjieswinkelstories (Pawnshop Stories) is a South African drama anthology television series created and written by PG du Plessis and produced by Krisan Produksies which - in the vein of his classic series Koöperasiestories - tells a different story each week through the eyes of three central characters, who confide in the viewers about what they are watching.
The documentary series celebrates and explores all these aspects in eight captivating episodes. With rich archival material and more than a hundred authoritative voices, this series traces the fascinating true stories of the characters, clashes, loves and long journeys that have woven the language through four centuries and tied it to the African soil – from the melting pot at the Cape where three continents met to the turbulent present where there is as much excitement as concern about the language.
