Kai Luke Brummer

A poignant coming of age story and exploration of a friendship between a young white boy, and the two adult black men he has grown up around, against the backdrop of the oppressive, divisive apartheid laws of the time. Although society dictates their education are worlds apart, Sam has helped guide Hally from boy to manhood, educating him about the realities and injustices of the world, while Hally in turn teaches Sam what he has learnt at school. Their friendship has taken on an almost fatherly role for Hally, as he struggles with the strained relationship with his alcoholic father. During their debates and reminiscing on the rainy afternoon, Sam and Willy talk about their dreams of winning a ball room competition—their 'world without collisions'—a metaphor for their aspirations and yearning to create a better life for themselves. The peace is broken with the news Hally's drunken father is returning home, unleashing an anger in Hally that leads to an unprecedented bigoted outburst.

Based on André Carl van der Merwe’s book, Moffie (a derogatory Afrikaans term for a gay man) follows the story of Nicholas van der Swart: from a very young age, he realises he is different. Try as he may, he cannot live up to the macho image expected of him by his family, by his heritage. At the age of 19 he is conscripted into the South African army and finds his every sensibility offended by a system close to its demise, and yet still in full force. Set during the South African border war against communism, this is a long overdue story about the emotional and physical suffering endured by countless young men.