South Africa
When Newsreel launched this collection, it was the first and largest collection of African cinema in the United States — and it remains an unmatched resource today. African cinema offers what mainstream Western media rarely does: Africa rendered in its own complexity, beauty, and contradiction, by filmmakers who know it from the inside. Spanning documentary and fiction, master filmmakers and emerging voices, from Francophone and Lusophone countries to Nigeria's Nollywood to post-apartheid South Africa, these films explore women's rights and gender, the legacies of colonialism, political corruption and civil war, cultural identity, sexuality, and the tensions between tradition and modernity. Many titles come with discussion guides and articles by African filmmakers and scholars, making this an essential resource for African Studies, Cinema Studies, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the continent and its people.
Articles to help you view and teach African cinema written by African filmmakers and scholars are also available.
The South Africa collection includes the following titles:
Long Night's Journey Into DayA documentary of South Africa's quest for restorative justice following four cases that come before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Zulu Love LetterThe Truth and Reconciliation Commission could not heal all the wounds left behind by the apartheid era. Thandeka, a journalist, is still traumatized by the murder of a schoolgirl, which she witnessed years before. She can find no peace before tracking down the perpetrators and finding the body of the schoolgirl so it can have a decent memorial.
State of DenialSouth Africa is the country with the highest number of HIV+ people in the world. State of Denial puts a human face on the millions affected by introducing us to six South Africans involved with the AIDS epidemic. It shows how they must fight not only the disease, but also the greed of the drug cartels and the incomprehensible inactivity of their own government in order to get life-saving treatment.
You Have Struck a Rock!The special contribution of South African women to the success of the anti-apartheid struggle is documented. Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Dora Tamana and other leaders recall their struggle against the hated pass system and their imprisonment and banning.
Visit the title page to preview any of the titles above.
