A new film by Janet van Eeden
“A Shot at the Big Time is a
film inspired by the true story of writer Janet van Eeden's brother, Jimmy, who
took his own life rather than fight in the Apartheid Border War, a war he
didn't believe in.
Jimmy’s family has personal crises instead of family holidays but he
finds his soul in his music. Until the army sends him his call-up papers. He
has to choose between following the rules or following his heart. He decides to
sing his own tune.
Petrus is a township boy who whose family is trapped in the poverty of
Apartheid. Petrus’s friendship with Jimmy opens his eyes to a potentially
better life, one which has music and lyrics. He plays with the band whenever
the authorities aren’t looking and dreams of the big time. But a freak accident
makes him decide there is only one future possible: he chooses to fight for
freedom against white men. Men like his former friend, Jimmy.
They had no interest in waging war against each other - they just wanted
to be rock stars. Then Jimmy received his call up papers. Forced into the
brutal regime of the military, with a sargeant who had it in for him, he went
AWOL. A fatal accident sealed his fate and blew up any chances Jimmy might have
had to have a normal life. He had a mental breakdown after this and was removed
from service and placed in a mental home to recover. Just as he was finding his
feet again, the army declared him "fit for service", and drafted him
straight into armed combat on the Angolan border with the instruction to seek
and destroy "the enemy". His broken heart couldn't do this. So
instead of fighting, he released the bullets from his rifle and walked straight
into the line of enemy fire, strumming his gun as if it was his beloved guitar.”
– shotthemovie.com
