Subtitled To Lose Your Pass is to Lose Your Life, the film follows the fortunes of a young black man looking for illegal work in Johannesburg. Although born in Soweto, he is unable to apply for a pass to be resident in South Africa, due to his mother never having had a pass before him. Rendered non -existent by beaurocracy, his only recourse is to remain in the twilight. Finding a job with Piet, a refuse truck driver who doesn't ask questions, he soon finds that the price he has to pay is to be involved in the internecine strife within Piet's family unit. When Piet's beloved cowboy hat disappears, the hapless worker is naturally suspected.

1982, 85 minutes, video.

MY COUNTRY MY HAT
Subtitled TO LOSE YOUR PASS IS TO LOSE YOUR LIFE,

Director: David Bensusan

Cast:
Peter Se Puma, Regardt van den Bergh, Aletta Bezuidenhout


FESTIVALS

✮ 2011 - Anthology Film Archives (New York) - April 2011
* This screening is part of: UNITED WE STAND: SOUTH AFRICAN CINEMA DURING APARTHEID