The Wound

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.

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.

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.

"Xolani" or just "X" (Nakhane) left his Xhosa tribe to find work in the city, but has now returned as a "caregiver" to help the young men prepare for their impending initiation into manhood. This essentially involves being covered in a white paint and preparing for a circumcision that was as likely to lead to terminal infection as to anything else. He reunites with his married friend "Vija" (Bongile Mantsai) and we quickly discover that's their is an unconventional friendship - and one that is best kept under wraps. That proves much more difficult when one of his initiates - "Kwanda" (Niza Jay) cottons on and it's clear that he can, and will, cause trouble. What follows is a poignantly told story of two men treading on eggshells. They must reconcile their own feelings with their responsibilities to their families, community and culture, and as events begin to spiral out of control it falls to "X" to make some very difficult choices and take some equally drastic action. There isn't loads of dialogue here, the photography and the simplicity of the surroundings do most of the heavy lifting as we observe their drama unfolding against a backdrop of attitudes that can make you wince at times. On the face of it, you could make some value judgments about "Kwanda" but when the context of their societal values is presented to us, that's not quite so simple as us Westerners might expect. This has a very natural feel to it, the characters seem plausible and they do engage. It's worth ninety minutes, for sure.

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.