Anthology Film Archives Presents United We Stand: South African Cinema during Apartheid‏

Film Screenings / Programs / Series
UNITED WE STAND: SOUTH AFRICAN CINEMA DURING APARTHEID
April 7 - April 18

"Presented for the first time in the United States, this thoughtfully curated program by South Africa-based Trevor Taylor, US-based Seagull Films and UK-based Contemporary Films, offers an important, authentic, and in-depth look at South Africa under Apartheid. Deeply moving, and not to be missed." -Danny Glover, actor, activist, and Co-Founder Louverture Films

This unique selection of films helps bring South Africa's complex history into focus. Providing a unique insight into the resistance cinema made in South Africa, the series presents nine programs, comprising 14 landmark works. Since access to the means of production was systematically denied to black filmmakers, almost all the films in the series were made by white directors - until the fall of Apartheid, only three black filmmakers were able to operate: Simon Sabela, who made domestic, non-political dramas; Gibson Kente, whose film HOW LONG? was seized by the authorities (and was unavailable for this series); and Lionel Ngakane, who made films, in exile, in the UK (several of which we will screen here). Nevertheless, all the films in the series were made in opposition to the apartheid ideology (with the exception of TO ACT A LIE, a government propaganda piece). Apart from END OF THE DIALOGUE, none were made clandestinely, but they all faced censorship, bans, and/or delayed releases, and were denied access to widespread distribution, screening only at independent venues. Coming on the heels of the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison, this is an illuminating survey of a cinema produced within an oppressive social and political system (one whose legacy is still felt in South Africa today), UNITED WE STAND offers a fascinating perspective on the phenomenon of Apartheid.


Presented with the invaluable support of Rafik Video (www.rafikvideo.com).

Special thanks to Alla Verlotsky (Seagull Films), Eric Liknaitzky (Contemporary Films), Trevor Taylor, Gary Palmucci (Kino), Roselly A. Torres Rojas (Third World Newsreel), and Connie Field (Clarity Films).

DIRECTIONS
Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Avenue (at 2nd St.)
New York, NY 10003 USA
Telephone: (212) 505-5181
Fax: (212) 477-2714


Subway:
F train to 2nd Avenue, walk two blocks north on 2nd Avenue to 2nd Street;
#6 to Bleecker St., walk one block north on Lafayette, then two blocks east on Bond St. (turns into 2nd St.) to 2nd Avenue.

Bus:
M15 to 3rd Street.



PROGRAMM

Thursday, April 7

7:00 PM
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE PALACE
by Robert Davies
1987, 89 minutes, 35mm

9:00 PM
MAPANTSULA
by Oliver Schmitz
1988, 104 minutes, 35mm

Friday, April 8

7:00 PM
BOESMAN AND LENA
by John Berry
2000, 90 minutes, 35mm

BOESMAN AND LENA
by Ross Devenish
1973, 102 minutes, 35mm

Saturday, April 9

2:00 PM
LIONEL NGAKANE FILMS

VUKANI/AWAKE
1962, 17 minutes, video.
&
JEMIMA & JOHNNY
1966, 30 minutes, 35mm.
&
NELSON MANDELA: THE STRUGGLE IS MY LIFE
1985, 45 minutes, video. Distributed by Third World Newsreel.

Total running time: ca. 95 minutes.

4:00 PM
THE GRASS IS SINGING
by Michael Raeburn
1981, 105 minutes, video


6:30 PM
YOU HAVE STRUCK A ROCK / END OF THE DIALOGUE / TO ACT A LIE

Debbie May
YOU HAVE STRUCK A ROCK
1981, 28 minutes, 16mm.
&
Antonia Caccia, Simon Louvish & Nana Mahomo
END OF THE DIALOGUE
1974, 47 minutes, video.
&
TO ACT A LIE
1980, 22 minutes, video.
A propaganda film made by South Africa's Ministry of Information, refuting the claims made about injustices perpetrated by the Apartheid regime.

Total running time: ca. 100 minutes.

8:45 PM
KATRINA
by Jans Rautenbach
1969, 97 minutes, video

Sunday, April 10

2:00 PM
MAPANTSULA
by Oliver Schmitz
1988, 104 minutes, 35mm

4:15 PM
THE HIDDEN FARMS / MY COUNTRY MY HAT

Ken Kaplan
THE HIDDEN FARMS
1986, 15 minutes, video.
&
David Bensusan
MY COUNTRY MY HAT
Subtitled TO LOSE YOUR PASS IS TO LOSE YOUR LIFE
1982, 85 minutes, video.

6:30 PM
THE BURNING / LAND APART

Stephen Frears
THE BURNING
1967, 30 minutes, 35mm.
&
Sven Persson
LAND APART
1974, 90 minutes, video.

9:00 PM
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE PALACE
by Robert Davies
1987, 89 minutes, 35mm

Monday, April 11

7:00 PM
LIONEL NGAKANE FILMS

VUKANI/AWAKE
1962, 17 minutes, video.
&
JEMIMA & JOHNNY
1966, 30 minutes, 35mm.
&
NELSON MANDELA: THE STRUGGLE IS MY LIFE
1985, 45 minutes, video. Distributed by Third World Newsreel.

Total running time: ca. 95 minutes.

9:00 PM
BOESMAN AND LENA
by John Berry
2000, 90 minutes, 35mm

Tuesday, April 12

7:00 PM
BOESMAN AND LENA
by Ross Devenish
1973, 102 minutes, 35mm

9:15 PM
THE GRASS IS SINGING
by Michael Raeburn
1981, 105 minutes, video

Wednesday, April 13

7:00 PM
KATRINA
by Jans Rautenbach
1969, 97 minutes, video

9:15 PM
YOU HAVE STRUCK A ROCK / END OF THE DIALOGUE / TO ACT A LIE

Debbie May
YOU HAVE STRUCK A ROCK
1981, 28 minutes, 16mm.
&
Antonia Caccia, Simon Louvish & Nana Mahomo
END OF THE DIALOGUE
1974, 47 minutes, video.
&
TO ACT A LIE
1980, 22 minutes, video.

Total running time: ca. 100 minutes.
Thursday, April 14

6:45 PM
THE HIDDEN FARMS / MY COUNTRY MY HAT

Ken Kaplan
THE HIDDEN FARMS
1986, 15 minutes, video.
&
David Bensusan
MY COUNTRY MY HAT
1982, 85 minutes, video.
Subtitled TO LOSE YOUR PASS IS TO LOSE YOUR LIFE

9:00 PM
THE BURNING / LAND APART

Stephen Frears
THE BURNING
1967, 30 minutes, 35mm.
&
Sven Persson
LAND APART
1974, 90 minutes, video.

Friday, April 15

7:30 PM
HAVE YOU HEARD FROM JOHANNESBURG: PART 1
by Connie Field
2010, video

SPECIAL ENCORE SCREENING

Please note: the three parts can be seen separately with no loss of comprehension.

PART 1:
THE ROAD TO RESISTANCE (58 minutes)

HELL OF A JOB (58 minutes)

THE NEW GENERATION (58 minutes)

Total running time: ca. 180 minutes.


Sunday, April 17

6:30 PM
HAVE YOU HEARD FROM JOHANNESBURG: PART 2
by Connie Field
2010, video

Please note: the three parts can be seen separately with no loss of comprehension.

PART 2:
FAIR PLAY (95 minutes)

FROM SELMA TO SOWETO (90 minutes)

Total running time: ca. 190 minutes.

Monday, April 18

7:00 PM
HAVE YOU HEARD FROM JOHANNESBURG: PART 3
by Connie Field
2010, video

Please note: the three parts can be seen separately with no loss of comprehension.

PART 3:
THE BOTTOM LINE (83 minutes)

FREE AT LAST (75 minutes)

Total running time: ca. 160 minutes.