This year’s 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival featured the worldwide premiere of the South African drama “Reyka”.
The festival took place from June 18 to 22 at the Grimaldi Forum.
"Reyka“, starring Kim Engelbrecht and British actor Iain Glen, is the first local TV series to have ever opened at the festival making it a prestigious honour for ”Reyka“, giving the audience its first critical look at the series on a global stage.
It is also the first local crime thriller produced jointly by UK production company, Fremantle.
The series follows the story of how a deranged banana farmer, Angus Speelman (Glen), abducts Reyka (Engelbrecht) at the age of 12 during the heightened period of South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, and holds her captive for many years.
Cast members include Thando Thabethe, Leeanda Reddy, Hamilton Dhlamini, Mavuso Simelane, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Nokuthula Mavuso, Rashaan Stackling and Gabrielle De Gama as Young Reyka.
Engelbrecht’s previous roles include playing Lolly de Klerk in the SABC3 soapie “Isidingo”, and Sergeant Noma Banks on the Syfy TV show “Dominion”.
Engelbrecht said: “This is more than just a local production.
“This is a compelling and real show that anyone in the world can watch and enjoy.
“This is also Fremantle's first South African show of this nature, which is exciting for more shows to come from that stable,” she said.
“Also the fact that it opened at the The Monte-Carlo Television Festival is so prestigious and a huge honour”.
The eight-part contemporary crime drama is directed by Zee Ntuli and Catharine Cooke and created and written by award-winning screenwriter Rohan Dickson, and is set for release on July 25 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101).