'Hansie's chapter is now closed'

2008-09-17 10:46

Elsje Blair

Bloemfontein - When he started getting heart palpitations within the first 15 minutes of watching the DVD of his son's life story, Ewie Cronjé had to stop.

However, after a while Cronjé, father of the former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronjé, did manage to watch the DVD of the film Hansie to the end.

The première of the film, based on Hansie Cronjé's life, took place in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Ewie said he had watched Hansie with his wife, San-Marie.

"After the first 15 minutes I got up and left the room. It was all too much, but I later found the strength to continue watching to the end. It's really hard."

"The film is just a nice story that Frans is telling, that's all," said his wife.

The family said they were trying to gain some distance by watching the film objectively.

Hansie's internal journey

Frans Cronjé, Hansie's brother and film maker at Global Creative Studios (GCS), wrote the script for the two-hour-long film.

It covers Hansie's life from 1994 until his death in a plane crash near George in 2002.

"It's impossible to cover his entire life in two hours. The film focuses on his internal journey," said San-Marie.

"The film's points of departure are grace and reconciliation. It's about grace from Above. All glory be to God.

"He has carried Hansie and us through the turmoil of difficult times. We lived through the reality with Hansie, that's why the film is just a story.

"People who think the film is opening old sores and trying to make excuses for Hansie, are wrong. Yes, it hurts, but no, we are not trying to make excuses for him," San-Marie said.

Healing process

"We and Frans want everyone to know that it's not about how often Hansie failed, but how he got up and handled the situation. It's a healing process.

"Hansie apologised to the world, but struggled to forgive himself. He never blamed anyone for his mistakes.

"He wanted to be free inside himself as well, and in the end he did achieve that," she said.

"Frans called us in tears while they were editing the film in Johannesburg. He had kept Hansie alive through the book and the film.

"When it was all done, Frans realised that Hansie's chapter was now closed," San-Marie said.

- Volksblad