Al Wat Ek Weet – Art offers salvation in a film that feels like a work of art itself
Review
Al Wat Ek Weet, based on the novel by Marita van der Vyver, tells the story of a teenager who must face the challenges of growing up while grappling with the enormous emotional weight of loss.
After a car accident in which 17-year-old Gabriel’s mother dies, he moves in with his aunt in Woodstock, Cape Town. He attends therapy sessions in an attempt to process his grief. He struggles, however, to open up emotionally, while also trying to fit in with his peers like a regular teenager. He meets a girl, joins a spoken word poetry club for her sake, and tries to find some measure of peace through these activities.
The directors, Devon Delmar and Jason Jacobs, approach sensitive themes with empathy. Through every aspect of the filmmaking craft, we are drawn deep into the main character’s inner world, creating an intense, almost tangible experience. The deep emotional pain is supported, and at times softened, by the presence of beautiful art forms such as poetry, music and visual art.
The film boasts well-known names such as Zenobia Kloppers (Fiela in the 2019 film Fiela se Kind), June van Merch, Waldemar Schultz and Hildegardt Whites. The performances of the younger actors, Johan Mouton, Gretchen Ramsden and Antoinette Myburgh, hold their own next to the seasoned veterans.
Rocco Pool of Al Wat Ek Weet won the award for best production design at the 2026 Silwerskermfees. It is well deserved, as the remarkable visual design creates a strong contrast between the vivid colours of the outside world and the sombre, dark inner world of the main character. Besides Pool’s production design, this feeling is also achieved through the cinematography (Grey Kotze), lighting (Stephan van der Merwe), costume design (Mary-Sue Morris) and sound design (Guy Steer). Through these elements, the film itself becomes a work of art, with every frame looking like a framed painting. The visual and special effects create the sense of a suspended reality in which Gabriel lives, and this is executed with great success.
Guy Steer also received the award for best sound design for the film at the Silwerskermfees. He creates rich, layered soundscapes through atmospheres and sound effects. The outside world’s soundscape is almost chaotic, while Gabriel’s inner world is quiet, sometimes almost deathly silent. When sounds do break through, those of the world around him are often distorted by his own perception. The sound design is highly effective at heightening emotional tension and drawing a stronger reaction from the audience. At times, however, the soundtrack becomes intrusive. Although it supports the mood, it is too loud and goes on just a little too long.
My biggest criticism of the film is that, although comic relief is sometimes necessary, certain humorous moments feel forced and don’t quite land. The comic timing of the editing, as well as the use of music, doesn’t always support the humour effectively.
Still, this film offers an honest, raw portrayal of grief and growing up in a complicated world. The story grips the viewer. It left me with a sense of hope, and the knowledge that the world will keep turning on its axis and that there will still be room for healing, even in dark times.
Al Wat Ek Weet is released on Friday, 30 October 2026.
Cinemas nationwide where Al Wat Ek Weet opens on 30 October:
Ster-Kinekor
- Brooklyn, Pretoria
- Garden Route Mall, George
- Rosebank Nouveau, Johannesburg
- Somerset Mall, Cape Town
- Tygervallei, Cape Town
- V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Nu Metro
- Canal Walk, Cape Town
- Cavendish, Cape Town
Independent cinemas
- Labia, Cape Town
- Minimax Cinema, Paarl
- Road House at Neelsie, Stellenbosch
- Road House at Whale Coast, Hermanus
Production Information
Running Time
102 min
Writer and Director
Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar
Website
Screens
∞
Age Restriction
13 LV
Cast
Jonan Mouton, Zenobia Kloppers, Gretchen Ramsden, Waldemar Schultz, Elton Landrew, Jana Cilliers and Abduragman Adams
Rating
4/5
Box Office
See NFVF
Written by Chanté Gorlt
Chanté Gorlt is a part-time lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology, where she specialises in technical and creative disciplines. With a deep passion for sound and music, she weaves her enthusiasm into her teaching and inspires her students to explore the dynamic intersection of technology and creativity. Her role reflects a commitment to advancing innovation and artistic expression within the academic community.
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