Hansie: A True Story DVD

How do you start over once you have betrayed a nation's trust?

The news of Hansie Cronje's (1969-2002) involvement with Indian bookmakers and his resulting public confession rocked the international sporting community. An unprecedented rise to glory was followed by the most horrific fall. A tarnished hero fuelled the nation's fury.

Like us, Hansie is both glorious and flawed and like him we recognise our need for acceptance and love. Hansie is a movie that will captivate with its human drama, its action packed sequences and its riveting match-fixing intrigue. But above all the movie will reassure you of the ability of us all to overcome life's difficulties with grace and dignity.

This film has been produced by Hansie’s older brother, Frans Cronje, who also played first-class cricket in South Africa. He believes it offers a balanced view of his late brother’s life and career. “We didn’t want to make a film which made Hansie look good. We wanted to be honest and include the good things and the mis­takes. We didn’t hold back about the mistakes. The movie has two main themes: it’s about redemption and finding hope.” 

The film explores Hansie Cronje’s faith. His brother said that it raised the question how such a prominent Christian role-model could fall so spectacularly. “Hansie loved the Lord, but he made these mistakes. We can all identify with that. As Chris­tians, we all make mistakes daily, and we all seriously mess up, and we have to ask God to forgive us. 

“But, like the story of the Prodigal Son, we’re all saved by grace: that’s fundamental for Christianity. But it does show that sin has consequences, and Hansie lost everything he had in one day.” 

Mr Cronje believes that one of the most powerful scenes in the film is his brother’s baptism. 

He says that, far from being trau­matised when he went to identify Hansie’s body after the plane crash, he “had peace” that his brother had gone to be with God.

Rating: PG Mild Themes

Run time 122 minutes