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Making A Killing

A gung-ho war junkie has to protect a suspected child soldier against his brother-in-arms, amidst bloody confrontations with vicious rebel militia of the eastern DRC. It's supposed to be mission in which he can make a killing, but now his conscience can cost him everything.

  • Justin Head
    Director
    Night Drive, Scarred Instinct
  • Justin Head
    Writer
    Night Drive, Scarred Instinct
  • Bjanca Letnic
    Producer
  • Brandon Auret
    Key Cast
    District 9, Elysium, Chappie, Catch A Fire, Tiger House, Inumber number
  • Justin Strydom
    Key Cast
    Winnie Mandela, Sniper Reloaded, High Rollers, Zama Zama
  • Richard Lukunku
    Key Cast
    Black Sails, Strike Back, Night Drive, A Million Colours
  • Leroy Gopal
    Key Cast
    Seal Team 8, Strike Back, Night Drive, Yellow Card
  • Hlubi Mboya
    Key Cast
    Death Race: Inferno, How To Steal 2 Million, A Small Town Called Descent, Dora's Peace
  • A Breed Apart Pictures
    Production Company
    Tanks & Bicycles
  • Ashley Market
    Cinematographer
    Angels in the Dust, Scarred Instinct, Against All Odds, In The Presence Of Greatness
  • Francois Coetzee
    Art Director
  • Sean Jefferis
    Sound Design
  • Justin Head
    Editor
  • Vernon Hodge Hodgetts
    Music Score
  • Alun Richards
    Music Score
  • James Read
    Executive Producers
  • Brandon Auret
    Executive Producers
  • Neil Impey
    Executive Producers
  • Ashley Market
    Executive Producers
  • Justin Head
    Executive Producers
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    War, Action, drama
  • Runtime:
    26 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2015
  • Country of Origin:
    South Africa
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Justin Head

Justin Head is a maverick South African filmmaker, who has a niche for writing and directing character-driven action thrillers set in Africa. 

His films are intense, visceral and gritty; drawing inspiration from a wide range of relevant issues - from the fight against animal poaching, and the trafficking in human body parts, to the use of Private Military Contractors in Africa's mineral-rich countries.

Justin holds an Honours degree in Motion Picture Medium. His breakout short film, the supernatural thriller ‘Scarred Instinct’, was produced for South Africa’s premium satellite broadcaster, Dstv. The film received several AFDA award nominations, including Best Screenplay & Best Direction, and scooped up the Best Film award.

Justin is also known for directing several controversial PSAs for Amnesty International South Africa. The bone-chilling ‘Child Soldier’ won the Multichoice Africa VUKA! award for Newcomer Best Director, and ‘Torture V/C’ secured the Best Overall Runner Up award.

In addition to his work on commercials and fictional stories, Justin has also written and produced several current affairs documentaries. One such assignment took him right into the heart of the Rift Valley Fever Outbreak, which had claimed numerous lives as it rapidly swept across South Africa.

Justin's debut feature film, Night Drive – South Africa’s first slasher/horror – has arguably become one of the most controversial and publicized films in the country’s history. Prior to local theatrical release, the film had already been picked up for international distribution and sold into several international territories.

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Director Statement

"The time to buy is when blood is running on the streets, even if the blood is your own." Baron Nathan Rothschild

Since the reign of King Leopold II of Belgium, the Congo's mineral resources have been brutally exploited. Today the Eastern Congo's bloody conflicts have been fuelled by a so-called 'war economy', involving at least several different rebel factions, neighbouring countries and private military contractors.

Making A Killing explores the moral ambiguities, contradictions and ironies of life as a mercenary in the Congo. The story bears testament to the human costs of this ongoing war… And everyone pays the price.