Paljas
Sign in to savePaljas (English title: (The) Clown) is a 1997 Afrikaans language South African film. Paljas was written by Chris Barnard and directed by Katinka Heyns. It is based on the book of the same name.
Film · TMDB
7.3Follows the deterioration of an Afrikaner family isolated and shunned in the small community of Toorwater. Nothing seems to happen. Then a circus train loses its way and comes to rest in Toorwater, and a mysterious clown brings fresh magic to the stagnating family, but he also poses a threat to the rest of the community.
Released: 1998-01-23119 minDir: Katinka HeynsDrama
Cast
- Marius Weyers as Hendrik MacDonald
- Aletta Bezuidenhout as Katrina MacDonald
- Liezel van der Merwe as Emma MacDonald
- Larry Leyden as Willem MacDonald
- Jan Ellis as Nollie
- Ian Roberts as Frans
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Key dates
- Published
- 23 January 1998
via Wikidata · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- film
- Genre
- drama film
- Country of origin
- South Africa
- Original language
- Afrikaans
- Director
- Katinka Heyns
- Screenwriter
- Chris Barnard
- Cast member
- Marius Weyers
- Duration
- +119
- FilmAffinity ID
- 245065
via Wikidata · CC0
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Synopsis
- Cast
- Production
- Awards
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Paljas (English title: (The) Clown) is a 1997 Afrikaans language South African film. Paljas was written by Chris Barnard and directed by Katinka Heyns. It is based on the book of the same name.
==Synopsis== The film revolves around the lives of the rural McDonald family. The household of Hendrik McDonald, stationmaster of the tiny Karoo town, Toorwater ("Magic-water"), experiences a number of unexpected situations when a travelling circus troupe leaves behind a clown named Manuel. The intrigues of the story include the estranged relationship between Hendrik and his wife Katrien, partly due to her being admired by Frans Lombard. Meanwhile, their daughter Emma is discontented with her suitor, Nollie Kemp, and Willem, the household's youngest, remains withdrawn and refuses to talk. The continued presence of the eccentric clown, Manuel, is kept secret by Willem. Manuel is later cruelly chased and shot by some of the local community who consider him to be evidence of anti-Christian forces despite having succeeded in convincing Willem to communicate and healing much of the family's pain through his caring and fun nature.