From Bushveld to the Concrete Jungle
Growing up in Hartbeespoort, Chanel van Zyl dreamed of working in Hollywood one day and inspired by the words of the Frank Sinatra song New York, Chanel chose to put on her entrepreneurial shoes and make it happen. She struck out and is now actively “melting away those little-town blues and making a brand-new start in the city that never sleeps”.
The life of an entrepreneur in the world of acting
Chantal, as director and with a starring role, recently completed a short film “Beneath The Surface”. Inspired by true stories, the film is about six women whose lives have been shaped by domestic violence or dating abuse.
The film has just recently started making its way through the film festival circuit and has already won multiple awards including: Outstanding Achievement Award for both Women Short and Ensemble Cast at the Indie Short Fest; a Gold Award for Best Women Short at the Los Angeles International Film Festival and Silver Award for Best Ensemble Cast at the Independent Shorts Awards also in Los Angeles.
Chantal grew up in a country where she saw the devastating effects of abuse against women. South Africa has one of the highest femicide rates in the world. 51% of women in South Africa have experienced violence at the hands of their partners. Well known celebrities like Charlize Theron and Trevor Noah, both from South Africa, witnessed first-hand some of this abuse while growing up and both have spoken out on this matter. All these factors made Chantal even more passionate about women’s rights and she hopes that sharing this film will bring awareness to people all over the world and inspire victims to find the courage to reach out and get the support they need.
The short film, Beneath the Surface, came about when Chantal returned to New York after spending most of 2020 in South Africa where domestic abuse numbers reached an all-time high due to the isolation and socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
After collaborating with the actors in her friendship circle a decision was made to move forward with the project. Despite the highly competitive nature of the industry and the fact that it had experienced massive cutbacks and many actors were out of work, Chantal and her team pushed to get a foot in the door by developing their unique storyline. They all wrote stories, drawing material from friends and family who had been victims. Chantal moulded it into a manuscript. Then the real work began. Funding was needed to produce the film. They all had to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test and find ways to raise enough money to pay for every aspect of the production. Friends, businesses, and social media were used to collect the necessary funds. The local community came together and helped with locations. Chantal, who had the vision of directing the film, took it upon herself to do all the behind the scenes planning and organizing. And it paid off – wearing many different hats to make it a reality – the project was born.
Chantal says, “This project has really helped me see where I want to be in life: creating projects to empower women. Although the film industry is getting more inclusive and offering more roles of power to women, it is nowhere near where it should be. Women have incredibly powerful stories to tell, and that’s what I plan to do.”
Chantal grew up performing in community musicals in Hartbeespoort. After High School she took night classes at the Method Actors’ Training Centre locally, then she got a break and became a cast member at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where she represented South Africa in the Wild Africa Trek as a Savannah Guide. Still focused on the big picture, she secured the Eleonora Duse Scholarship at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, an incredible achievement as she can now write her name among some of the notable alumni who studied there, such as Al Pacino, Sally Field, Alec Baldwin, Laura Dern, Marilyn Monroe, Jon Voight, Angelina Jolie, Claire Danes, Lady Gaga, Uma Thurman, Barbra Streisand and so many more.
Chantal says that pursuing a career in the arts has taught her so much. Success through working her way from the bottom to learn how a theatre operates – becoming a stage manager, running wardrobe and art direction, acting in supporting and lead roles in multiple plays and now directing work she feels passionate about. One of the main things she has learned is that persistent work pays off, sometimes not in the way you think or the way you planned, but through it you can get to where you want to be.
Beneath The Surface will be available for viewing later this year. Follow the project on Instagram for up-to-date news and behind the scenes content: @beneaththesurfacethefilm