Images courtesy of Goethe-Institut South Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank, the Hubert Bals Fund of International Film Festival Rotterdam and Mayenzeke Baza, executive producer Steven Markovitz
Berea
The line-up
The homecoming
JOHANNESBURG- South Africa
LAGOS- Nigeria
NAIROBI- Kenya
7/10
7/10
8/10
Directed by Vincent Moloi “Aging Jewish man in Hillbrow meets a prostitute each week. Today a different woman arrives in her place. The world has changed.” Jewish pensioner Aaron Zukerman refuses to move out of his inner-city apartment, yet Berea is changing around him at a pace that will pull the rug from under his feet. Empathy, fear, human courage and the changing city make a poignant, well-acted film that’s also well produced but isn’t breaking any major ground. Script problems, especially dialogue.
Directed by Folasakin Iwajomo “How far would you go to pay for a child’s life-saving operation?” In a bizarre and deliberately unresolved ritual, a man is willing to do anything to save his sister. As one of 10 men, at first strangers, he must strip and subject himself to inspection by a mysterious woman. Is she a pervert or is this metaphysical? To what length will we demean ourselves in order to protect those we love while government stands aside and capitalists rule? Many questions; few answers here.
Directed by Jim Chuchu “An obsessed neighbour invents ever-stranger scenarios for wooing the girl of his dreams.” Produced by Wanuri Kahiu, Chuchu’s short film is fresh, forensic and futurist. It takes a normal urban situation and spins it into an inner landscape where the young male city dweller plays the big bad wolf. He creates dystopian scenarios so that he can save the day. Or are they just fantasies? Hitchcock’s Rear Window reinvented in Africa and repeating on itself – stylishly. Big promise right here. Again, can we get a feature please?
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