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IMDbPro

Seun: 81457397BG

  • 2014
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
48
YOUR RATING
Seun: 81457397BG (2014)
Drama

A young man, Paul, born and raised in the Karroo, is conscripted in the South African military during the border war in the 1980s. While saving a fellow soldier's life, Paul sustains a tragi... Read allA young man, Paul, born and raised in the Karroo, is conscripted in the South African military during the border war in the 1980s. While saving a fellow soldier's life, Paul sustains a tragic injury leaving him paralyzed.A young man, Paul, born and raised in the Karroo, is conscripted in the South African military during the border war in the 1980s. While saving a fellow soldier's life, Paul sustains a tragic injury leaving him paralyzed.

  • Director
    • Darrell Roodt
  • Writers
    • Darrell Roodt
    • Sandra Vaughn
  • Stars
    • Deànré Reiners
    • Elzette Maarschalk
    • Chris de Clerq
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    48
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Darrell Roodt
    • Writers
      • Darrell Roodt
      • Sandra Vaughn
    • Stars
      • Deànré Reiners
      • Elzette Maarschalk
      • Chris de Clerq
    • 3User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos

    Top cast17

    Edit
    Deànré Reiners
    • Paul van Rensburg
    • (as Deanre Reiners)
    Elzette Maarschalk
    • Aletta van Rensburg
    Chris de Clerq
    • Johannes van Rensburg
    Candice Weber
    Candice Weber
    • Anna-Marie
    Chante Hinds
    • Tannie Sarie
    Johan Hanekom
    • Oom Piet
    Daniel Christiaan Esterhuyse
    • Dominee
    Ben Bruwer
    • Ou man #1
    Hentie Wiese
    • Ou man #2
    Wilna Bruwer
    • Ou vrou
    Edwin Gagiano
    Edwin Gagiano
    • Marius
    Janus Prinsloo
    • Korporaal
    Miles Petzer
    • Soldaat #1
    Ignatius Cronje
    • Soldaat #2
    JC Snooke
    • Ambulaansman #1
    • (as Johan Christian Snooke)
    Leon Gerber
    • Ambulaansman #2
    Christine van Reenen
    • Candice
    • Director
      • Darrell Roodt
    • Writers
      • Darrell Roodt
      • Sandra Vaughn
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    6.548
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    Featured reviews

    7BobIRL

    Anti-War

    This local South African movie is a simple story and focuses on a period of time in history which has been neglected in terms of good quality movies. This war was perhaps South Africa's "Vietnam."

    Having been fortunate enough to speak to Veteran's of this conflict the movie briefly covers the war but in a confusing manner jumping past any explanation of the training soldiers would have been given. It is aimed at a viewer who is already familiar with the background of this particular war.

    Though it is a good film which I enjoyed.

    It shows the distinct scenery of that part of South Africa beautifully and the strong religious beliefs of the Afrikaans Farming Community who live and work there.
    3jared-beukes

    A 18 year old boy is conscripted for the South African army in 1982, and must come to terms with the consequences of his experience there.

    If, like me, you felt a small welcome shock at hearing of a movie about the South African conscripts, you are in for rather a disappointment in this film. If, again like me, you crave films that bravely take on an idea or a subject and artfully, stunningly bring about the realisation, the recognition, the heightening in your consciousness of that idea or subject, regardless of the setting and circumstances, you, too, should prepare yourself for discontent and regret here.

    Firstly, the reasons for the conscription and war are never mentioned in the film, letting slide an ideal opportunity to examine an event of great importance in South African history. Secondly, nowhere is any character sketched in anything other than the roughest, broadest outlines. One supposes the characters are meant to be familiar to us (each being a common type regularly shown on South African television), and that the filmmakers have avoided specifics so that the story of one recruit and one family may be taken as a metaphor for a generation.

    Unfortunately, the outcome of this broadening is not an amplification in the story's importance, nor a figurative device rich in meaning. It just makes for a banal plot, and certainly does no good at all for understanding anything about the Bush War or the conscription. An entire generation was called up in arms against a faceless, nameless enemy, and nobody ever spoke about it, then or now. This film illustrates that one fact successfully, but it's exactly the reality that this kind of film should exist to undo.

    The film concludes with Paul visiting schools as a guest speaker, and telling the matric students about his experiences at the border. Admirable as it is that someone at last is saying something, what does it help that the only story the boys hear is his? Without giving too much of the plot away, the only lesson to be taken from his specific story is not to be brave, and not to endanger yourself to help a friend. And, again, if all he is telling the boys is what we've seen before in the movie then still no one has learnt anything about the impact this war has had, apart from the purely physical one on this specific individual.

    Roodt's film's performances are what pass for good, natural acting, and the plot, inherently drab and already somewhat bleak, is sunk even lower by the filmmakers' indifference to the characters' psychologies and finer emotions. When Roodt does take to putting in commentary, his images and rhetoric are so plain and so blunt that all artistic potential is lost. "Seun" is not worthy of its subjects, and we need something far more substantial and challenging if a South African film is to engage in discussing this or any other of our historical issues.
    8skbruwer

    Deeply moving, a story that needs to be told

    Perhaps this is a story for my generation, although I believe the universal themes speak to us across time. It is like a Wilfred Owen poem. Futility, loss, wars fought for reasons no-one even remembers. Fine performances, excellent script and beautiful cinematography- but wrenching.

    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The title contains Paul's service number, 81457397BG. The first two digits are the year in which he was registered for National Service. This should have happened in the year he turned 16. If he was 18 in 1982 he would have registered in 1980 so his service number should have start with 80, not 82. If he was only registered in 1981, he would not have received call up papers for the January intake.

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 1, 2014 (South Africa)
    • Country of origin
      • South Africa
    • Official site
      • Welela Studios Entertainment (South Africa)
    • Languages
      • Afrikaans
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Seun (Son)
    • Filming locations
      • South Africa
    • Production company
      • Karoo Film Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • ZAR 5,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 28m(88 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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