Sonja Ruppersberg is an enigma, whose pursuits are infused with an affinity for the dark, the beautiful and the alternative. She's the it-girl of South Africa's underground scene, the quintessential alternative magazine cover girl and above all, a multi-talented performance artist.

Sonja's career has been defined by her passion for music and film, channeling her love for these expressive media forms into creative projects such as: Terminatryx, the South African Horrorfest, The Makabra Ensemble under Flamedrop Productions.

Sonja's the voice of Terminatryx, a dark electro-driven Industrial-Metal group. She also fronts The Makabra Ensemble, a live soundtrack accompaniment to classic silent horror films, which has become known for performances at music and film festivals such as the South African Horrorfest. Behind-the-scenes, Sonja has been a key player behind the inauguration and continuation of the popular South African Horrorfest, which has gained recognition as a premiere Halloween event in Cape Town over the last several years. These creative projects have been a co-creation and collaborative labour of love under the banner of Flamedrop Productions together with her husband and partner, Paul Blom. Sonja has starred in several Flamedrop productions from music videos to short films, taking her dark creative arts to the next level... watch this space.

With several film festivals, music and film projects to contend with... Sonja Ruppersberg has her hands full. There's no doubt that she's a rising star and a name to remember. Luckily, we managed to catch up with Sonja to find out about her taste in movies and get the lowdown on her Top Ten Movies...

"My dad got me a copy of Episode IV: A New Hope
on VHS and at his last count... I'd watched it 200 times."

I can't watch movies without...

- ...a bottle of water, popcorn and a sugar-free cola-based soda.

Which famous people share your birthday?

- River Phoenix (actor - overdosed), Keith Moon (The Who drummer - overdosed), Gene Kelly (dancer, actor, director - Singin' In The Rain), Vera Miles (actress - supporting role in Psycho), Shelley Long (TV's Cheers) and Rick Springfield ('80s pop/rock star). (23 August)

What is the first film you remember watching?

- At around 4 years old I saw Star Wars, in the theatre with my dad.

What's the worst movie you've ever seen?

- Things by Barry J. Gillis - stilbly is ook 'n antwoord(!)

Which movies have made you tearful?

- Artificial Intelligence, I didn't expect a Sci-Fi movie to touch me so deeply. The Passion Of The Christ, it was a very graphic depiction of cruelty and love.

Who is the most famous movie star you've ever met?

- Garret Dillahunt (Last House On The Left, No Country For Old Men, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles), he's a complete gentleman and a complete opposite to his character in Last House On The Left. On the movie's set he didn't want to continue the interview until I had a chair to sit on.

What's your favourite movie line?

- "They're selling hippie wigs in Woolworth's man. The greatest decade in the history of mankind is over. And as Presuming Ed has so consistently pointed out, 'we have failed to paint it black'." - Danny in Withnail & I - couldn't fit in my Top 10 list, but also one of my favourites with numerous brilliant quotes.

Who would you choose to play you in your biopic?

- Any unknown actress of European descent - not an American, Brit or Aussie, but if I had to choose a Yank, it would be Uma Thurman.

If you could produce a movie, what would it be about?

- I would love to do a documentary about a subject close to my heart, which I'm planning to do, and cannot elaborate in case someone else grabs the concept!

Finally, your top ten movies of all-time...

- It's so hard to choose, but I'll give it a rundown roughly chronologically as I grew up, and those movies that stayed with me:

The Star Wars franchise ...this was my first movie memory and is something that entertained and fascinated me for years. Somehow my dad got me a copy of Episode IV - A New Hope on VHS and at his last count around the mid-'80s I'd watched it roughly 200 times!

An American Werewolf In London ...it really frightened me and I loved the special make-up FX (by Oscar winner Rick Baker).

The Indiana Jones franchise ...great memories of going to the movies with my parents and sister. I remember my dad having to carry my best friends and I out of the theatre without touching the floor or walls after Temple of Doom with its terrifying insect scene.

Bladerunner ...the idea of artificial intelligence ever becoming a reality was always fascinating to me, especially in the '80s when everything became more high-tech, that's why I also love The Terminator. When I watched Bladerunner again many years later, I saw it in an entirely different light, so I really discovered it the second time.

A Nightmare On Elm Street franchise ...I was crazy about Freddy's sarcasm. It became the Friday night staple for sleep-over parties in high school. The remake was good, and I'm glad they gave it a make-over, but no-one can ever fill Robert Englund's fedora.

Brat Pack flicks ...movies like Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club and Pretty In Pink were the quintessential '80s teen movies. These were all made by John Hughes, also responsible for the classic Chevy Chase National Lampoon's Vacation series, and Weird Science. One of the reasons I really love The Wedding Singer, even though it's a silly Sandler movie it takes me back to the '80s and always leaves me feeling great.

Bram Stoker's Dracula ...being a fan of the 1920's Nosferatu and being a huge Gary Oldman fan, I could never leave this off my top 10 list. The old-school practical special effects gave the movie a look no-one has managed to recreate in this digital age.

Natural Born Killers ...the style of the movie made a big impression on me, and I loved the soundtrack.

Pulp Fiction ...Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman, and the return of John Travolta! Enough said.

Lost Highway ...my favourite David Lynch movie among many of his others. Confusion has never been so cool. This movie and its soundtrack would have been number 1 on my list had it been arranged in order of importance. Both Lost Highway and Natural Born Killers' soundtracks were produced by Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, one of my favourite bands.

Top Ten Movies with... is a people series on SPL!NG, featuring a host of celebrities ranging from up-and-coming to established personalities from all industries including, but not limited to: Internet, Radio, TV, Film, Music, Art and Entrepreneurs. It's a chance to discover who they are, find out where they're at and to get a fun inside look at their taste in movies.

CREDIT ROLL: Photography (Live shot - Trevor Charles Miller, Vixxen Magazine Cover - Dr Benway)