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To those who have not seen the film, allow yourself to experience this Afrikaans catalyst project. Leave your Hollywood notions of films and filmmaking at the door, and give this unique film a chance to challenge your outlook on life.
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It is the bravery and courageous discipline of Derick Muller that carried through his first full-length, Wesens.
Wesens is an Afrikaans found footage film set in 1967. It follows four South African Republic Intelligence agents as they investigate an object that has landed on a Karoo farm. The investigation is filmed with their Super 8 and 16 millimetre cameras.
It is through 1967’s events that the viewer is shown the spiritual journey of the characters. The old camera used by Muller makes the shots appear out of focus. Muller is consistent in not positioning the main elements at the fore in the frames. The cinematic approach of not using full-width shooting and using “home film” aesthetics makes the audience feel like they are there, present in the film.
The cinematic tools employed by Muller help in communicating the film’s themed message. Through the film’s spiritual message, the audience is invited to imagine the journey of living organisms and their existence. It evokes the debate about what our purpose is on this planet. The film does not delve deeper into this spiritual debate, but rather depicts how living organisms came to existence and how they survive.
The film’s shots do not reflect colour as they portray the aridity of the Karoo landscape. The shots are achieved through the use of colour-grading cinematic technique in order for the frames to match the Karoo environment. The arid environment complements the thematic message the film conveys: how life is filled with the good and the bad, but the living organisms remain resilient and survive. This leaves us as spectators caught up in our reasoning on the meaning of life, thinking further about our own spiritual journey.
Wesens is a thought-provoking film in which, through the characters’ journey, we reflect spiritually. The character who stands out is Pietie Beyers, who captures “drive-around” Karoo scenes as he observes them. His performance throughout the film is remarkable as his character is used as a visual link to which we all connect. The cast includes new talent as well as renowned actors who execute their roles remarkably well. According to Muller, they filmed where there was no water, network coverage or electricity. These conditions speak to the aridity explored in the film’s spiritual message.
Film fanatics will be pleased to learn that the cinematography is remarkable. Although the film doesn’t place itself in the traditional confinements of the genre, the found footage nature of the film is evident in the frames that appear unsteady and aesthetically uninspiring. Muller also utilised Dutch angle technique in shots where the subject shown disappears from the screen and later gets discovered. This full-length film lacks lighting from a traditional lighting perspective, as characters’ features are not amplified through lighting.
It is interesting to note that Wesens as an independent film does a remarkable job in using film creativity and strategy to explore a concept that would have otherwise required a big budget. The decision by Muller to use Khoi storytelling and strategic techniques of found footage similar to those used in The Blair Witch project was brave and a courageous approach to the concept.
To those who have not seen the film, allow yourself to experience this Afrikaans catalyst project. Leave your Hollywood notions of films and filmmaking at the door, and give this unique film a chance to challenge your outlook on life.
...
To those who have not seen the film, allow yourself to experience this Afrikaans catalyst project. Leave your Hollywood notions of films and filmmaking at the door, and give this unique film a chance to challenge your outlook on life.
...
It would be quite intriguing to experience another cinematic offering from Derick Muller, as Wesens has set a precedent for similar films to follow and has sparked the birth of a particular cinematic movement in South Africa.