Cast

ANNIE - Dawn Matthews

Stellenbosch University drama school graduate Dawn Matthews worked
in Cape Town for two years before moving to Johannesburg in 2000, extending
her career as stage actress to TV and film. Matthews’ notable television
appearances include ‘Egoli’ and the Afrikaans series
‘Song vir Katryn‘ and ‘Soutmansland’.
She has most recently appeared in ‘Racing Stripes‘
and ‘Red Dust‘, but is perhaps best known as presenter
and host of the Kyknet series ‘Kunskafee’. This is
her second film with the team, having starred in Blue Valentine
in 2005.

imdb.com
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JON - Mark Sykes

After studying drama at Pretoria Technicon (1991 – 93), he started
his professional career working for PACT in ‘Joseph and
His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’.

Having completed ‘The Adventures of Paddington Bear’
in 1994, he found an affinity for children’s theatre, and appeared
in several productions, including ‘The Secret Forest’ for
Brian Charteris, and a touring schools programme tackling AIDS for AREPP,
he also fronted two bands as well as moonlighting in a cover band.

In ’99 he was in ‘The Elvis Las Vegas Extravaganza’
and performed the lead singing role on many occasions.

In 2000, he returned to England and now freelances regularly for Comment
UK, a major industrial theatre company and sings regularly around London
with a second cover band, Orange Crush.

BARAN – Eamonn O’Dwyer

Born to an Irish father and a Guyanese mother, Eamonn O’Dwyer began
his vocal training at the age of seven under the tutelage of James O’Donnell
at Westminster Cathedral. As a cathedral chorister he toured extensively
around Europe and featured as a soloist on Hyperion’s recordings of
Poulenc Sacred Music, Adeste Fideles and Panis Angelicus. From there
he went on to join The King’s Consort, and became a featured soloist
for the highly acclaimed Purcell Sacred Music Series, including several
television appearances and a Wigmore Hall concert in 1995, Purcell’s
tri-centenary year. Eamonn also played the part of The Boy in Richard
Harvey’s oratorio Plague and the Moonflower for BBC2, and sang solo
vocals for Harvey’s soundtrack to the 1994 film Doomsday Gun. He now
works part-time as assistant to Simon Perry at Hyperion, and is pursuing
a career in acting.

BERNIE – Adrian Alper

Adrian studied at the United World College of the Atlantic from 1989
to 1991 and then traveled extensively through Europe, the Far East,
Russia and the United States. He performed in a number of stage productions
in Wales before appearing in various youth series for South African
television. Recent television includes the daily soap Generations, Streaks
and Scoop Schoombie whilst in theatre he was nominated for a Vita Award
for his role of the young dope addict in Cuba and His Teddy Bear. Parallel
to his career as a professional actor Adrian is a successful stand-up
comedian, and director.

Crew

South Africa

Director, Writer - JOE VAZ

Multi-talented Joe Vaz began his professional career as an actor in 1994
in ‘Joseph’. He has since performed in shows such as ‘La Cage
Aux Folles‘, ‘Sweet Charity‘ and ‘Buddy
Holly‘ to name but a few. In addition to a long and varied career
in musical theatre, he has worked extensively as a puppeteer, voice artist
and actor. Joe’s initial encounter with crewing was being 1st AD for Damon
Berry on his debut film - ‘Engage’ ever since which he
has become addictred to on-set life. Joe is an accomplished singer, songwriter
and musician. He has worked as an audio producer, video editor and web
designer, is a gifted scriptwriter and comic genius- but he doesn’t skydive.
www.JoeVaz.com

Director of Photography - DIGBY YOUNG

Veteran DOP and industry legend Digby Young was a member of the team to
first bring television to SA. He worked with the SABC during the seventies,
most memorably on the original soapie series The Villagers. In ‘99 he
worked as the only professional with 22 leading film students from 19
countries on the award-winning grad-student production The Unique Oneness
of Christian Savage, directed by Jennifer Ussi. Although he no longer
works as a mainstream DOP, Young brings thirty years of experience in
theatre, television, film and advertising to the micro-indie movement.
When he’s not volunteering his talent and skill on indie productions,
Young works with his international casting director wife Christa Schamberger-Young
as technical director.

1st Assistant Director - DAMON BERRY

Four years ago Damon started his own production company and directed his
first short film - Engage. Since then he has worked on a documentary for
the UN, worked on several corporate videos, as well as other short films
as well as being one of the producers on The Quickies One Minute Film
Festival. In 2003, Damon won the bronze award for best cinematographer
by the South African Society of Cinematographers. He is currently developing
a feature screenplay.

Producer– SALAMA OGIER

Having just graduated from UCT Film School in 2005, Salama has already
produced and directed several short films.

Beyond Words is her first venture with the team.

Artistic Director - VIANNE VENTER

Cape Town based writer and journalist Vianne Venter has been affiliated
with the team since 1996. She is an established fine artist and former
owner of the Solid Gallery in Kloof Street, Cape Town. Her love affair
with language and visual media of all forms began at Wits University in
the early nineties, where she completed a BA degree with majors in English
and Drama & Film.

Crew

United Kingdom

Director – MAL WOOLFORD

So far, Mal has crammed his creative life into the margins of a career
in television management. He made widescreen a reality in the UK, managed
drama postproduction, and introduced new production tools and techniques.
He is now giving his creative practice the time, space and focus it
deserves. –

Director of Photography– PETER MURPHY PRODUCER

Producer - MIRANDA COLMANS

Miranda trained in contemporary dance for 2 years during her BA Honours
from Chester. In the years since graduating she has starred in several
productions including a run in Macbeth and A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. She connected with Mal on Beyond
Words as a reader for Annie’s lines and progressed to Producer.
She and Mal are currently working some new projects.