Only in the movies can we root for liars, cheats and thieves to succeed in their endeavors to commit a crime. It is the unusual paradox of the heist film, from Oceans 11 to Dog Day Afternoon, from The Sting to Reservoir Dogs, where the hero is someone who should be behind bars but as the audience, we cheer on his lawlessness.

“Absolutely, especially when you feel like Robin Hood doing it,” notes Jaques De Silva, a South African actor currently starring in his own heist film, The Umbrella Men, a John Barker production premiering at the Toronto International Film festival.

In this cinematic take on the caper comedy genre, De Silva stars as Jerome, a man who reluctantly returns to his hometown to bury his estranged father. When he learns that he has inherited the Goema Club, home to the minstrel troupe the Umbrella Men, he soon discovers there are economic issues that come with the heirloom. That includes his father’s enemies, led by the ruthless Tariq (Abduragman Adams), and the bank which is seeking payment on a debt. Jerome soon realizes that his only chance to escape foreclosure is to organize a bank heist, putting together a rag-tag assembly of friends and thieves to pull off the robbery.

“In this case, the justification makes sense,” he explains during a private interview with the HFPA about why audiences identify with the protagonists. “There is heart to it. I am the hero going to save the day against the bad guy.”

Growing up in South Africa, and having trained, collaborated and toured South Africa with UBOM! Eastern Cape Drama Company, as well as starring in two local TV series, Silly Seasons, and 7de Laan, the now 37-year-old actor is quite adamant about what his stance would be if he were ever called upon to participate in such a crime.

“I am your stage manager,” he laughs. “I am there to make sure that everyone will be there, be on time. That is who Jaques would be.”

While he utilizes humor to tackle that aspect of the storyline, he can also be quite pensive and poised. As with his character, Jaques recently lost his father and knew that would be his creative way of identifying with Jerome.

“I was able to take a look around and see what a beautiful thing it was this family he built and the traditions he put in place,” he reveals. “The community we have around us at the end, that is all we have. We only have those relationships with the people around us. For me, I identified with not having my own identity. I needed to leave and find out who I was.”

And what did De Silva discover? “I am based on where I am from. That is what made me.”

He also discovered some lesser-known facts about Cape Town, the locale for the story. In hatching their plan to rob the bank, the team uncovers a series of tunnels that weave underneath the Mother City.

“That little bit of history given in the film is accurate,” he continues. “What I love about the film is we know Cape Town by the landmarks: the ocean, the castle and Table Mountain. What John has done is shoot between the cracks and reveal the beautiful life within. As a South African, I am so proud to show the world.”

While there isn’t a Goema Club presently in his life, one wonders if De Silva was given the chance to open his own music venue, which artist would fill the bill.

“Abdullah Ibrahim,” he immediately replies. “We were totally immersed in that musical world while we made this film and just loved listening to his music.” But if the South African pianist wasn’t available, De Silva has a backup.

“Beyonce,” he laughs. “Just to mix it up.”