Starring: Nakhane Touré, Bongile Mantsai,
Niza Jay Ncoyini
Year: 2017
Running Time: 88 minutes
Running Time: 88 minutes
I was eager to see the controversial film that had South
African tongues wagging and fists shaking last year. Inxeba
was initially banned in SA, having been given a rating of X18 (which designated
the film pornography status – even though there is clearly no pornographic
scenes in the film). A High Court ruling
then overturned the initial rating (providing a glimmer of hope for the South
African judicial system and blow for homophobic censorship) so the film could
be screened in cinemas with a regular rating of 18.
Besides the taboo topic of homosexuality in Xhosa culture, the
male circumcision ritual that marks the transition into manhood and the other
rituals surrounding this rite of passage are not supposed to be discussed, let
alone portrayed on the big screen. As a
result, the cast and crew of the film received death threats and the film could
not be screened in the Eastern Cape due to threats from its harshest
critics. However, many argued that the
outrage that the film sparked was based on nothing more than homophobia.
Directed by Jon Trengrove, the movie follows Xolani (Nakhane
Touré), a lonely factory worker
who has had to hide what he considers to be a shameful secret – his homosexuality
– as he travels to the Eastern Cape to assist with the annual initiation ceremony
that takes place there. This is also
where he resumes his secret and forbidden relationship with Vija (Bongile
Mantsai), a married man who refers to Xolani as X, his “friend”. Xolani takes
on the role of a mentor (“caregiver”) to an initiate from “the city”, Kwanda
(Niza Jay Ncoyini) who is also gay and soon figures out Xolani and Vija’s
secret.
Following his circumcision, Kwanda must be confined to a hut
for eight days. In this time, Xolani
takes care of him, as his role of caregiver dictates, changing the dressing of
his wound and helping him through the painful post-circumcision healing
process. Headstrong Kwanda soon
oversteps cultural and traditional boundaries and defies the rules of the
initiation, putting him on Vija’s radar, earning the disapproval of the elders
and setting into motion a series of events that have tragic consequences.
The film explores the intersection of sexuality, masculinity
and culture superbly and the triple burden that many black men have to carry. It is both sad and disturbing to witness the
anger and self-loathing that can result from suppressing a fundamental part of
oneself and how violence is often an outlet for the conflicting emotions. The film also provides insight into Xhosa
culture and traditions and the rural Eastern Cape backdrop reminds me that not all
of the province is a shithole (the waterfall was particularly
picturesque). Excellent performances
from the three lead actors, who portrayed the inner turmoil of their characters
and the complexities of their respective relationships perfectly.
Comments
Post a Comment