The Columnist

Newspaper columnist and author Femke Boot is suffering from writers’ block and her mood isn’t improved by the torrent of abuse and death threats she receives daily on social media. When she discovers that her obnoxious, loud neighbour is one of the anonymous people posting vile comments, she snaps and takes matters into her own hands. As she finds herself able to write again, she sets out on a mission – track down the trolls and deliver some swift, polite and deadly vengeance. A pitch- black whimsical comedy for our over-connected age.

‘With a premise so ripe in this modern age that we are, quite frankly, surprised it’s taken so long for someone to make it, The Columnist proves it’s definitely been worth the wait.

Director Ivo van Aart and writer Daan Windhorst know that this story needs to be handled with both wit and sheer terror, and they’ve pulled it off beautifully, making a rare socially conscious (and deliciously fun) revenge thriller. Anchoring it perfectly is Herbers, terrific as the writer you didn’t think it would be wrong to piss off, and it’s her trajectory from decent working mom to over-the-edge social-more enforcer that makes The Columnist such a blast. It’s a very entertaining reminder that, no matter how harmless or justified you think your insults are, they can really hurt someone. And that someone can hurt you back. Thank goodness The Columnist is just a movie. For now.’ Matthew Kiernan, Fantasia Festival