The Black Meteor

The Black Meteor (Dutch: De zwarte meteoor) is a 2000 Dutch film directed by Guido Pieters. The film is based on the novel by Tom Egbers, a Dutch sports journalist, which was adapted for the screen by Kees van Beijnum. The novel fictionalizes the story of Steve Mokone, the first black player to play in a professional European league.

De Zwarte Meteoor
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Guido Pieters
Written by	Tom Egbers (novel), Kees van Beijnum (screenplay)
Produced by	Matthijs van Heijningen
Cinematography	Wouter Suijderhout
Edited by	Tatjana Schops
Distributed by	RCV Film Distribution
Release date	11 December 2000 (2000-12-11)
Running time	107 minutes
Country	Netherlands
Languages	Dutch English Afrikaans
Budget	€2 million

Plot

The movie is set in the 1950s, when soccer club SC Heracles from Almelo, in the rural east of the Netherlands, acquires an African player. Steve Mokone makes Heracles a successful team, while changing every aspect of life in the small city. Mokone builds a unique friendship with the 15-year-old Felix, but then leaves town as quickly as he came.

Cast

• Jet Novuka as Steve Mokone
• Erik van der Horst as Felix Verbeek
• Gijs Scholten van Aschat as Schouten, Heracles chairman
• Peter Tuinman as Felix's father
• Lieneke le Roux as Felix's mother
• Thekla Reuten as Vera
• Roef Ragas as Jaap Stegehuis
• Caro Lenssen as Mies
• Angelique de Bruijne as neighbor
• Aus Greidanus as Heracles coach
• Wouter van Oord as Tim
• Guus de Wit as Jan
• Benten Wijnen as Jan (as Benten Bastiaan Wijnen)
• Jop Kappelhoff as Koen
• Frederik Brom as Rooie Gaait (as Freek Brom)

Reception

Scott Foundas, writing for Variety, was not overly positive, criticizing its "holier-than-thou coming of age/race relations" quality.^[1]