"REM" is an Afrikaans Sci-Fi Drama about a grief-stricken father, Dehan, who becomes obsessed with the memory of his late wife, Lena, through the use of a high-tech, dream-altering device, the REM. This unhealthy obsession leads to Dehan struggling to reconnect with his young son, Erich, who survived the car accident that caused Lena's death. Dehan must decide to face and to confront his grief, reconnecting with his son, or to become so immersed in his fantasy dream-world that he loses touch with reality, and Erich, altogether.
Direction
Spence packs a feature's worth of emotion into 12 minutes.
Acting
Du Toit's silent suffering as Erich destroys you.
Production
Dream-world visuals on a short film budget — stunning.
Director
Cara Leane Spence
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
One of the few Afrikaans-language sci-fi films, using local talent to tell a universal grief story. South Africa's film industry rarely tackles genre, making this quietly groundbreaking.
The title refers to Rapid Eye Movement sleep, but also plays on 'rem' as in remnant — what we cling to when someone is gone. Dehan literally lives in REM-nants.
ZA
