The Wound

A South African film was on show for the opening night of the Berlinale. Directed by John Trengove, it's the story of Xolani, set against the backdrop of a local circumcision initiation ritual. Barely had I settled into my seat, that penises were being sliced up at the edge of a forest, in ad-hoc conditions. So, yeah, it caught my attention.

The whole story though finds itself at an interesting intersection between tradition, homosexuality and validation. For Xolani, who otherwise works in the city, it's the yearly return 'in the mountains', to meet Vija, the man he loves. For Kwanda, Xolani's initiate, it's the pressure to conform with alpha male stereotypes. For most of the other participants, it's a last stand in the face of modern turpitude, both a rite of passage into manhood and a rite of separation from the others.

The first half or so of the movie, which sets the scene and introduces the characters, is almost fascinating. With strong acting all around, it's easy to get sucked into the experience and what's even more impressive, is the manner in which Trengove infuses such sensibility in something that otherwise could count as butch. The contrasting personalities are wrought with tension, culminating in some beautiful moments of just…being. It all comes to life thanks to commanding craftsmanship and an eye for strong visuals, which is one consistent feature throughout.

Unfortunately, the latter part of the film elects to go for a more traditional exposition and resolution, with uneven pacing. What's worse though is the characters losing some of their sharpness, especially in scenes where they are turned into mere rhetoric tools. By the time the finale came around, I felt waywardly uninvolved. It's like the need for relevance and clarity became overbearing.

All things considered, The Wound stands as a film that, at its best, conveys a unique poetic restraint. It might not shine all the way through, yet it provides insight into a corner of the world that's usually left in the dark, tackling some big themes on the way. I would never want to fault someone for being too ambitious, so The Wound gets my recommendation.

Tackling head-on the cultural taboos of sexuality during a very traditional coming of age ritual in South Africa and hopefully going some way to educate and inform those who still live in the past and have yet to evolve from those traditions and beliefs.

I did not know what to expect from this, but what I got really impressed me. THE cultural context in which the film is told is definitely a unique one, and the questions it poses and addresses regarding manhood, sexuality, and the process of maturity all bring to life vivid details and portrayals of the lives of these individuals. The performances are in particular strong, and the cinematography simply stunning. This is a highly recommended film that has significance in the way many films of this genre have, like last year's Moonlight.

This film has caused controversy in South Africa because of the secrecy surrounding initiation, and it will be viewed by Xhosa very much as a hostile white man's view of the practice. There is little about the cutting (nothing is shown) but much about homophobia and bullying. It is clear that the filmmakers think (as I do) the idea that initiation makes boys into men is hollow.

It's a slow-burning drama with three central characters, Xolani ("X") a caregiver to a single initiate, Kwanda, among a group of about 10, three of whom are cared for by Vija. X has sex annually at the initiations with Vija, who is married (shades of Brokeback Mountain), but their relationship is ambiguous. Kwanda's sexuality is unclear, but coming from Johannesburg, he is more urbane than the others, and suspect for that reason. He is called a "faggot" but more as a general-purpose insult.

The initiates are all cut early on in the film; there is mention of painful herbs being applied, and infections, but not the significant risk of death. Near the end, Kwanda, who has said very little, dismisses the importance of the genital cutting (without actually denouncing it). The irony is that he _has_ matured from his experience on the mountain, but not in the way the traditionalists imagine. Another irony is that X seems to have learnt from his pupil.

What the film very much brings out is the urban-rural, traditional-modern tension in South Africa, though the setting is entirely traditional. I recommend it to urban people for a glimpse into a very different culture - that yet throws light on our own.

At the first glance The Wound looks like a movie about the Xhosa tradition concerning initiating boys into manhood: they go into the mountains to experience genital cutting. And while it is and interesting look into this custom which I knew very little about and which I found both fascinating and deeply disturbing. it is also much more.

The movie touches on a number of important issues. We see a taboo homosexual relationship in a deeply homophobic environment and the way that gay people deal with living in such a culture. We see the conflict between the old ways represented by people insisting on carrying on the traditional initiation and the new ways of city life and assimilation into white culture. We see a story about growing up and becoming a man, even if the notion of manhood isn't understood in a traditional way.

The story is carried mostly visually as there isn't a lot of dialogue in the movie. In my opinion, this fits the story perfectly, as men traditionally aren't meant to talk about their feelings. It also means that the actors must convey the character's emotions through facial expressions and gestures, and they do a really good job, creating completely believable character.

All in all, I would say that The Wound is a solid piece of filmmaking, touching important contemporary problems. It may be too slow for some, but for me the pacing and the limited amount of dialogue are perfect of such a story.