TRUE CRIME AS AN ENTERTAINMENT genre is relatively new to the South African market. And is picking up. Director David Enright left viewers at the edge of their seats
and begging for more when he released Showmax Original docuseries Devilsdorp in July.
The four-part series investigates the 11 Krugersdorp killings in South Africa between 2012 and 2016, separately known as The Appointment Murders and the Satanic Murders, and how they were all traced back to Cecilia Steyn and the Electus per Deus (Chosen by God) cult.
Enright says that his love for story-telling and a deep fascination with psychology is what led to the 18-month production of Devilsdorp.
“Because I have an interest in psychology, it took me down a journey of public participation, reality television, and documentary story-telling genres. To basically tell human stories and it’s something I really enjoy,” says Enright.
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The production of this gripping and mind-boggling story of the Krugersdorp murders took extensive research and development which Enright emphasizes was a team effort.
“We wanted to tell this story because it highlighted an important conversation that needs to be had in communities,” Enright says. “…Because this could happen to anyone.”
The story was mainly told from the perspective of the victims’ families as well as looking at how the media covered those stories between 2012 and 2016.
However, Enright tells FORBES AFRICA that there was a discussion about including the narrative of the accused including Steyn herself.
“She actually did contact me during production,” Enright says. “However, as a production, the evaluation was so that what they were able to say was pretty much said during the court case. What they were going to add to the documentary series, as the accused, was basically said in the court case.”
Devilsdorp broke Showmax records; setting a new record for the most hours watched in its first four days of launch of any film or series ever on Showmax.
The series outperformed even big shows like Game of Thrones, The Real Housewives of Durban and The River.
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