Tells the story of Francois van Heerden, a mid-40s, white, Afrikaans-speaking family man living in Bloemfontein, who has become devoid of any care or concern for his own measure of happiness, and so convinced of his ill-fated existence, that he is wholly unprepared when a chance encounter unravels his clean, controlled life.
Alas, the film’s intense subtlety ends up pulling too many punches.
This queered state of a nation is tense, quietly sad and yes, beautiful.
Despite that title, there's an ugly power to this study of obsession and anger.
Deon Lotz gives a ferociously powerful central performance in this tragic South African movie.
This is Death in Venice African-style, though lacking the reticence and resonance of Mann's novella. Presumably it's commenting on an emotionally distorted society that needs to get its house in order.
Mesmerising.
Not an easy watch, and it only becomes more disturbing as it goes along.
A hard-hitting look at the Afrikaner psyche that, intriguingly, avoids matters of racial integration.
Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee from Friday May 11, 2012, until Sunday May 13, 2012. More info: www.dca.org.uk
Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow from Monday May 14, 2012, until Thursday May 17, 2012. More info: http://www.glasgowfilm.org/theatre/
Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Friday May 25, 2012, until Tuesday May 29, 2012. More info: www.filmhousecinema.com
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