Perky rom-com Semi-Soet

Anel Alexander and Nico Panagio are gorgeous as the budding suitors who can't stand the sight of each other, but have to be tolerant in their pursuit. Louw Venter is delightful as the buddy and blundering hoodwink in search of love, with Diaan Lawrenson delivering a delicious and hilarious performance as the irritating and unyielding gate-crasher, with Paul du Toit in top form as the unrelenting ex-boyfriend.

It's a fun and feel-good cinematic outing for hopeless romantics who are looking for entertainment that offers great escapism.

Rating 4/5

At the box office

Afrikaans romantic comedy Semi-Soet has earned more than R1.3million at the box office on its opening weekend, 17 to 19 February. The film was released at 65 cinemas nationwide and seen by more than 41 000 people, which secured it a 2 percent higher site average than the hit musical Platteland earned on its opening weekend. Semi-Soet did 126 percent better than Jakhalsdans, 5 percent better than Bakgat 2 and secured a solid 84 percent of the takings that Liefling die Movie did on its opening weekend. Sem- Soet managed to hold onto the number two position in the industry Top 10, with the other local success story, Material, securing the number three spot.

Light, uplifting entertainment

The film tells the story of workaholic Jaci van Jaarsveld, who will go to any lengths to protect the advertising agency for which she works from being bought and dismantled by a ruthless businessman known as The Jackal. A huge contract to market a prestigious wine farm internationally will help save the agency, but winning this contract is no simple matter.

"Semi-Soet is light, uplifting entertainment," said Helen Kuun, CEO of Indigenous Film Distribution. "It's uniquely South African and brings the winelands of the Cape and the city of Johannesburg to life. It also has some excellent Afrikaans wordplay that audiences just love. We are really happy with its performance. This indicates just how ready South Africans are for home-grown rom-coms."