Cape Town is the backdrop against which the story of super group Milli Vanilli gets told in a new and highly-anticipated biographical film called “Girl, you know it`s true”.
Not only is the soon to be released film shining a light on the stunning sights in the Mother City, but it also helped boost the local economy by creating employment for South African businesses, film crew and the film industry at large.
Simon Verhoeven is the director and producer of “Girl, You Know It’s True”, the scandalous story about the rise and fall of Milli Vanilli, the biggest popstar duo of the early 90s.
According to film distributor, FilmFinity, the drama will captivate audiences as the biggest scandal to rock the music industry unfolds, portraying the complexities of fame and deception, through the compelling performances of actors Tijan Njie who portrays Rob Pilatus and Elan Ben Ali, playing the part of Fab Morvan.
It tells the life story of dancers Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan who were struggling to make inroads as pop artists in Europe, until Frank Farian recruited them to be the face of his new music project in 1988.
Their debut single “Girl, You Know It’s True” shot to the top of the charts resulting in millions of album sales across the globe.
In the US, Milli Vanilli went on to win the coveted “Best New Artist” award at the 1990 Grammy Awards.
Then, without warning, the wheels came off the duo`s career when it was discovered that they had in fact not sung on any of the songs, but rather lipsynching.
The resulting fallout from one of the biggest scandals in pop history, including the return of their Grammy, would prove to be fatal for Milli Vanilli’s once chart topping rise to fame.
Filmfinity says the production shot in Cape Town employed numerous South African crew members and collaborated with local businesses, contributing significantly to the regional film industry.
It said Cape Town's diverse and vibrant scenery plays a crucial role in the film, adding authenticity and depth to the storytelling.
To see where the movie was shot, you can head to the cinema on 21 June when it will hit local movie screens.
The film also includes local actors Natasha Loring, Andrew Roux, Ashley Dowds and David Chevers.