Paljas
Paljas (meaning jester) is an Afrikaans language South African film that was released in 1998. Paljas was written by Chris Barnard and directed by Katinka Heyns.
Awards
The film was submitted for the 70th Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, the first South African submission since the end of Apartheid.
Synopsis
The film revolves around the lives of the rural McDonald family. The household of Hendrik McDonald, stationmaster of the Karoo town Toorwater, experience a number of unexpected situations when a traveling circus troupe leave behind a mime named Manuel. The intrigues of the story include the estranged relationship between Hendrik and his wife Katrien, due to her being admired by Frans Lombard. Meanwhile their daughter Emma is discontent with her suitor, Nollie Kemp, and Willem, the household's youngest, remains dumb and withdrawn. The eccentric clown, Manuel, is kept secret by the youngest son, Willem. He is later discovered and attacked and shot by the townsmen despite that he had succeeded in convincing Willem to communicate and healed much of the family's pain through his caring and fun nature.