“Moffie” was all over recent awards shows, earning nominations from the BAFTA Awards for the best debut from a British writer/director/producer, Venice Film Festival’s Queer Lion, London Film Festival for best film, and the British Independent Film Awards for best director. The movie is now making its way to the US, with the first trailer giving audiences a taste of what to expect with “Moffie.”
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The movie, an adaptation of André-Carl van der Merwe’s memoir, follows a closeted young man serving mandatory military service during 1980s Apartheid in South Africa. “Moffie” is meant to explore the psychological violence of institutionalized homophobia within the military.
“Moffie” is the fourth movie by South African director Oliver Hermanus (“Shirley Adams“). The movie stars Kai Luke Brummer (“Professionals“), Barbara-Marié Immelman (“Blood and Glory“), Michael Kirch (“Black Sails“), and Remano De Beer in his first film credit.
Take a look at the official summary for “Moxie” below:
To be a moffie is to be weak, effeminate, illegal. The year is 1981 and South Africa’s white minority government is embroiled in a conflict on the southern Angolan border. Like all white boys over the age of 16, Nicholas Van der Swart must complete two years of compulsory military service to defend the Apartheid regime. The threat of communism and “die swart gevaar” (the so-called black danger) is at an all-time high. But that’s not the only danger Nicholas faces. He must survive the brutality of the army – something that becomes even more difficult when a connection is sparked between him and a fellow recruit.
“Moffie” hits select theaters and video on demand platforms on April 9. Take a look at the new trailer below.