About Us
Red Letter Day Pictures
Red Letter Day Pictures produces original African narrative content for film and television. Our track record includes delivering some of South African cinema's most successful local box office hits. Notable productions include "Hollywood in my Huis," which ranked third highest-grossing South African film in 2015, and "Vaselinetjie," which claimed the second-highest box office spot in 2017. Our hit comedy "Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor" also dominated the local box office in 2023.
Our expertise extends to directing feature films such as "Sy Klink Soos Lente," "Susters," and "Toorbos," the latter being South Africa's official selection for the 93rd Academy Awards.
In television, we released the 13-part drama series "Alles Malan" for local broadcaster kykNET, achieving record-breaking viewership in 2019 and 2021. In 2024, we produced four seasons of "Summertide," a 13-part English family drama for MNET.
With a diverse portfolio, we've delivered over 120 hours of content encompassing narrative and documentary genres for major broadcasters such as kykNET, SABC, BBC, National Geographic, and MNET (DSTV).
Rene Van Rooyen
Director | Screenwriter
Rene is best known for her work on "Toorbos," South Africa's official entry to the 93rd Academy Awards and Golden Globes. Rene has also helmed several TV series, including the UK/SA co-production "CATCH ME A KILLER," featuring Charlotte Hope (of "Game of Thrones" fame), produced by Simon Howley and Brett Wilson and financed by Night Train Media.
Under her production company, Red Letter Day Pictures, Rene has co-produced some of South Africa's highest-grossing films, including "Vaselinetjie" (ranked #2 at the box office in 2017) and "Hollywood in my Huis" (ranked #5 at the box office in 2015). "Toorbos" achieved the #2 spot at the box office in 2020, while "Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor" claimed the #1 position in 2023.
Her television series "Alles Malan," which she produced, wrote, and directed alongside Corne van Rooyen, garnered record-breaking viewership on kykNET in 2019 and 2021. Additionally, her 52-part MNET family drama "Summertide," for which she serves as creator and producer, is currently airing on MNET, channel 101.
Rene's extensive resume also includes roles such as series director for kykNET's "Getroud met Rugby," episodic director on "Fluiters" (kykNET), and "Labour of Love" (MNET). Over the past decade, she has contributed as a screenwriter to numerous films and television series, notably co-writing the pilot for MNET/CINEMAX/HBO's “Trackers."
In 2012, Rene graduated Cum Laude in directing and screenwriting from AFDA Film Academy. Her directorial work on short films, including "Nantes," earned her the Best Picture and Director awards at the prestigious "kykNET Silwerskermfees," one of South Africa's premier talent incubator festivals.
Corne Van Rooyen
Director | Screenwriter | Co-Owner
Corne holds a BA Hons in Media focusing on Directing and Screenwriting from the AFDA Film Academy.
Through RED LETTER DAY PICTURES, Corne debuted as a director with his first feature film, "Hollywood in my Huis" (2014), which won "Best Picture" at the kykNET Silwerskerm Filmfees. Following this success, in 2016, he directed "Sy Klink Soos Lente" and 2017 "Susters," both enjoying wide cinema releases across South Africa.
Corne serves as director, producer, and writer of "Vaselinetjie," a film that claimed "Best Picture" at the Silwerskerm Filmfees and earned "Best Humanitarian Film" at the Sedona International Film Festival. His feature film "Hans Steek die Rubicon Oor," which won the SSF (2023), has garnered international recognition, recently being invited to Sochi, Russia, as part of a celebration highlighting the biggest box office earners from each of the BRICS countries. Currently, the film is undergoing adaptation for North Ireland.
A Durban Talents alumnus, Corne boasts an impressive portfolio, directing over 60 hours of content for SABC, BBC, National Geographic, kykNET, and MNET.
Among his notable achievements, Corne was the series creator and co-producer for the 13-part drama series "Alles Malan" for South African broadcaster kykNET, as well as "Summertide," a 52-episode multigenerational family drama for MNET, channel 101.