Harvesters, The

By: Where's the end

So.... I can't say this was a bad movie... I can however, say that based on the given description, this movie was extremely confusing. The description led me to believe this would be some form of coming of age, finding a deeper meaning of love between the two boys as they learned to live with one another. The plot line of the movie hinted towards this pathway a couple of times, but then lead off into a random jealousy plot twist as the main character seemingly started to feel he was being replaced by the new addition to the family. The only hint at sexual awakening in the entire film was the one brief scene where the main character imagined his best friend visiting and embracing him before bed. There were several other opportunities where the plot could have truly explored the sexual awakening aspect of the plot and yet nothing.

I'm not sure that there is an easy way to describe the ACTUAL plot of this movie other than the struggle of religious beliefs leading to physical, emotional, and family confrontation. The fact that this movie was set in what was supposed to be a hostile environment was completely missed in the movie.. At no time was there any depiction of violence towards the people, actual or implied. I understand that this information was given in the description to help paint of a picture of the "community"... but again, there was nothing present in the movie that would support this.

Overall, I felt the acting was very good for a film of this genre.. I felt like the content that WAS there was well thought out and executed....I just don't feel like the description given was an accurate portrayal of this movies content. Definitely not a movie I would watch twice... not would I recommend it to a friend... but I certainly wouldn't discourage someone from watching it if they wanted to.

By: Amos Lassen

"THE HARVESTERS"
Identity and Sexuality in Afrikaans Culture

"The Harvesters" ("Die Stropers") Identity and Sexuality in Afrikaans Culture Amos Lassen With his feature writing-directing debut, Greek-South African filmmaker Etienne Kallos takes a look into Afrikaans culture as it grapples with larger social shifts. "The Harvesters" explores identity and sexuality in a provocative and darkly moving way.

The story centers on 15-year-old Janno (Brent Vermeulen), the adopted son of a childless Afrikaans farming couple, Jan and Marie (Morne Visser and Juliana Venter), who are also raising her late sister's two young daughters. As Janno learns his way around the farm, herding cattle and preparing for the corn harvest, his parents take in another teen boy, 13-year-old Pieter (Alex van Dyk), a troubled addict. As he goes through withdrawal, Janno takes him under his wing, introducing him to the farm, the local prayer group and the church boys' rugby club. But Pieter is far worldlier than Janno, and instantly spots the fact that Janno has a crush on his best friend. Pieter also introduces Janno to the lively nearby black community and reveals that he has been selling his body to local men for cash. Janno finds this shocking, but he also feels a bit of envy.

None of this is obvious. Kallos keeps the film's tone evocative, focusing on Janno's emotional rather than physical journey. This means that the film can be somewhat elusive at times, but there's never a moment when we can't understand how Janno is feeling: threatened by Pieter's savvy attitude and excited about the possibility of exploring his sexuality. He is also terrified that Pieter might reveal his secret to his religious parents and friends. The rivalry between the boys adds a sibling rivalry vibe to the film. Michal Englert's spectacular cinematography captures the and dramatic geography and the internal thoughts of the characters.

Vermeulen gives a belter of a performance, never overplaying Janno's inner turmoil. Everything he thinks and feels plays across his entire body, especially in the film's most potent scene as he has a confrontation and connection with Pieter. Even photographed from behind, we know exactly how he reacts. He also develops superb push-and-pull chemistry with van Dyk, a street smart kid who fully understands that religion has this family but plays along out of a need to survive.

This is a fascinating story about a society in which being gay is transgressive and, unthinkable. As orphans, these boys are already outsiders, so being sent to "man camp" to learn the community rules only stirs their desires even more. Kallos' sensitive filmmaking brings the story and themes to life in ways that are both gentle and prickly, challenging the audience to react to a culture in which bigotry is so ingrained that no one talks about it.