Monsters‚ miracles and hope – Film on Alison’s survival debuts this week

31 May 2016 - 22:15 By TMG Digital

The world premiere of ‘Alison The Movie’ debuts at the Encounters International Film Festival in Cape Town and Johannesburg this week.In 1994‚ Alison Botha was stabbed 37 times‚ raped‚ disembowelled and slashed 17 times in the neck by two men who left her for dead in Port Elizabeth‚ a few kilometres from her home.She survived‚ then underwent a difficult time of healing and overcoming depression‚ seeing her attackers jailed‚ getting married and divorced and becoming a mother to two boys. And now a movie of her life will be shown at the Encounters International Film Festival.“I have to admit (that I am) a little school-girl-like-shriekingly-giggly and excited about it! ‚” she said of the film premiere.“Trying to hold it together. It is a bit surreal - knowing that audiences will soon be viewing our film - it feels like standing on the brink of a bungy-jump‚ scared to step off the ledge but knowing that you want to jump more than anything and that it will be so worth it. I'm looking forward to that feeling.”This is the first time Alison has allowed cameras into her home.Described as a “hybrid film”‚ it is described as a mixture of fairy tale idiom and unflinching frankness to tell its story of survival‚ resilience and triumph.The film will feature many real-life heroes from that night‚ as well as the acting talents of Christia Visser as Young Alison‚ Zak Hendrikz‚ De Klerk Oelofse and Francois Maree.Directed‚ produced and written by Uga Carlini‚ it was made in association with Towerkop Creations‚ kykNET Films‚ the Department of Trade and Industry‚ the National Film and Video Foundation and Waterfront Film Studios. An English and a part Afrikaans version of this film has been made – which the publicists say is a first for the South African feature film landscape.The Encounters International Documentary Film Festival runs from 2 – 12 June.The film will also be shown at the Durban International Film Festival (16 – 26 June) and is set for a Nu Metro Women’s Month theatrical release on the 12th of August 2016. ..

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