{{Use South African English|date=May 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}} {{Infobox film | name = Paljas | image = | caption = | director = Katinka Heyns | producer = Anant Singh | screenplay = Chris Barnard | starring = Marius Weyers | music = Sue Grealy | cinematography = Koos Roets | editing = Avril Beukes<br>Ronelle Loots | distributor = | released = {{Film date|1997|1|23|df=yes}} | runtime = 119 minutes | country = South Africa | language = Afrikaans | budget = }} '''''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"),<ref name="Uniondale"/> 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their daughter Emma is discontented with her suitor, Nollie Kemp, and Willem, the household's youngest, remains withdrawn and refuses to talk.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.<ref>[http://film.moviesaz.org/video/51113-volshebstvo/ Paljas-1998]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Film.moviesaz (Trailer and Synopsis), Access date: 27 May 2022</ref>
== Cast == The cast includes:<ref>{{Citation |title=Paljas (1998) - Katinka Heyns {{!}} Cast and Crew {{!}} AllMovie |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/paljas-v161739/cast-crew |access-date=2023-03-23 |language=en}}</ref> * Marius Weyers as Hendrik MacDonald * Ellis Pearson as Manuel * Jan Ellis as Nollie * Gérard Rudolf as Jan Mol * Aletta Bezuidenhout as Katrina MacDonald * Larry Leyden as Willem MacDonald * Liezel van der Merwe as Emma MacDonald * Marthinus Bason as Dominee * Ian Roberts as Frans
==Production== ''Paljas'' means "magic" or to cast a spell.<ref name="Uniondale">"The Road Less Travelled - Hoekplaas, Warmbad, Barandas" - Section: [https://www.uniondale.co.za/routes/the_road_less_travelled_hoekplaas_warmbad_barandas_04_2017 "Paljas the Movie"] (with a photo from the movie set), Uniondale, Access date: 27 May 2022</ref> The English title of the film is ''Clown''.<ref>{{cite web | title=Paljas 1997 (Clown) | website=Dailymotion | url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8o6qdl | access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref> or ''The Clown''.<ref>{{cite web | last=Botski | first=Kristoff | title=Paljas (1997) AKA The Clown | website=rarefilmm | date=14 September 2023 | url=https://rarefilmm.com/2023/09/paljas-1997/ | access-date=7 January 2025}}</ref><ref>Encountering Modernity: Twentieth Century South African Cinemas, Keyan G. Tomaselli, Rozenberg Publishers, 2006, Page: 51 (with some explanations on the word "paljas").</ref>
==Awards== The film was submitted for the 70th Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, the first South African submission since the end of apartheid.<ref>Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences</ref><ref name="70thSubmissions">{{cite web |title=44 Countries Hoping for Oscar Nominations |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |date=24 November 1997 |url=//www.oscars.org/pressreleases/97.11.24.html |accessdate=13 October 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980213090309/http://www.oscars.org/pressreleases/97.11.24.html |archivedate=13 February 1998 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
==See also== * List of submissions to the 70th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film * List of South African submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * [https://fest.afi.com/1998/world-cinema-1998/paljas/ Paljas] at AFI Fest * [https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/paljas-1200453113/ Paljas ], ''Variety'', Leonard Klady, 16 March 1998
==External links== * {{IMDb title|0134013|Paljas}} * {{tcmdb title|id=526622}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928122819/http://www.mnet.co.za/localproductions/DisplayArticle.asp?Id=15&stype=5 MNet All Africa Film Awards]
{{South African submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film}}
Category:1990s Afrikaans-language films Category:1997 drama films Category:1997 films Category:South African drama films Category:1990s South African films
{{SouthAfrica-film-stub}} {{1990s-drama-film-stub}}