The Black Meteor
| De Zwarte Meteoor | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Guido Pieters |
| Produced by | Matthijs van Heijningen |
| Written by | Tom Egbers (novel), Kees van Beijnum (screenplay) |
| Cinematography | Wouter Suijderhout |
| Edited by | Tatjana Schops |
| Distributed by | RCV |
Release dates | 11 December 2000 |
Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Language |
Dutch English Afrikaans |
| Budget | €2 million |
The Black Meteor is a 2000 Dutch film directed by Guido Pieters. The film is based on the novel by Tom Egbers, a Dutch sports journalist, which was adapted for the screen by Kees van Beijnum. The novel fictionalizes the story of Steve Mokone, the first black player to play in a professional European league.
Plot
The movie is set in the 1950s, when soccer club SC Heracles from Almelo, in the rural east of the Netherlands, acquires an African player. Steve Mokone makes Heracles a successful team, while changing every aspect of life in the small city. Mokone builds a unique friendship with the 15-year-old Felix, but then leaves town as quickly as he came.
Reception
Scott Foundas, writing for Variety, was not overly positive, criticizing its "holier-than-thou coming of age/race relations" quality.[1]
Cast
- Jet Novuka - Steve Mokone
- Erik van der Horst - Felix Verbeek
- Gijs Scholten van Aschat - Schouten, Heracles chairman
- Peter Tuinman - Felix's father
- Lieneke le Roux - Felix's mother
- Thekla Reuten - Vera
- Roef Ragas - Jaap Stegehuis
- Caro Lenssen - Mies
- Angelique de Bruijne - neighbor
- Aus Greidanus - Heracles coach
- Wouter van Oord - Tim
- Guus de Wit - Jan
- Benten Wijnen - Jan (as Benten Bastiaan Wijnen)
- Jop Kappelhoff - Koen
- Frederik Brom - Rooie Gaait (as Freek Brom)