VARIATIONS ON A THEME

Credits

Name: VARIATIONS ON A THEME

Country: Südafrika/NL/Katar

Year of publication: 2026

Format: DCP

Format Canvas:

Color: color

Language : OmeU

Duration: 65 Minuten

Series: 23. Afrika Film Festival Köln

Direction: Delmar, Devon; Jacobs, Jason

Abstract

An elderly goat herder in the mountains of Namaqualand, South Africa, falls victim to a scam promising long-overdue reparations for her father’s service in World War II. As she waits for money that will never arrive, the disruptions surrounding her 80th birthday threaten to strip away the last remnants of her independence. Structured as a series of recurring visual variations, the film transforms repetition into revelation, creating a poignant portrait of waiting, endurance, and loss, while also celebrating dignity, resilience, and the determination to maintain one’s autonomy.