The new South African multi-generational 52 – episode drama series, ‘Summertide’, produced and directed by AFDA alumni powerhouse couple Corne and Rene van Rooyen premiered on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) in January in the prized 18:00 Sunday night slot, which leads into Carte Blanche at 19:00. AFDA alumnus Ebenhaezer picks up the music credit and fellow alumnus Dino Benedetti the DOP credit on the series.
‘Summertide’ tells the story of a marine biologist and father of two teenagers, Martin Field, who moves to the idyllic Simon’s Town after the death of his wife to start a penguin rehabilitation centre.
The series explores the lives of the Field family and those who cross their paths – each with their own secrets and desires. We meet Martin’s parents, Wilma and Jack Field, a retired naval commander who runs his household like a military operation. Martin’s children, Tristan and Lucy, must cope with the loss of a parent and moving to a new town on top of the usual stresses of high school. Martin’s youngest brother, Gavin, is a surfer who leads a careless life of sleeping around and repeatedly losing jobs. And then there’s Rebecca Solomons, who worked as a Michelin star chef in New York and was Martin’s first love.
Corné and René – the hit makers behind Alles Malan, Vaselinetjie, and Moorivier – said about this exciting new drama: “We are thrilled to be introducing our Simon’s Town “Field family” to South African audiences and take them on a highly entertaining weekly journey where we explore the themes of family, love, and community against the backdrop of saving the oceans in the incredible setting of False Bay.”
“We have a stellar cast. For us it was very important for this cast to be relatable to the audience. The audience need to feel the warmth of them. We also wanted them to appeal to family life.
“It is interesting because we have cast from 10 years old to 70. Every scene has a generational gap in it. So that was exciting for me,” Corné said.
