Bunny Chow: Know Thyself

I saw this movie at the 2007 International Film Festival of Rotterdam. The director and a lead actor (Kegiso Lediga) were present at the screening for a Q&A.

Three stand-up comedians from Johannesburg and a weird white guy are the central characters in this story. Without giving away too much of the plot, here is how the main characters set out.

Dave (Dave Kibuuka) is probably the handsomest of the bunch. His friends think his girlfriend is out of his league, though. He is funny and charming off-stage, but has trouble with his material during performances.

Keg (Kegiso Lediga) has a big mouth and plenty of self-confidence. His beautiful girlfriend Kim (Kim Engelbrecht) wants to take their relationship "to the next level" He seems to have his reservations. She is suspicious when any women gets near him or even calls him.

Chubby Joey (Joey Yusuf Rasden) is the clown of the group. In his quieter moments, he contemplates if he is true enough to his Muslim heritage.

The three of them and the fast-talking white guy Salah (Salah Sabito) go on the road for a stand-up gig at a festival.

Like the successful television comedy Seinfeld, this movie focuses on the daily life of a stand-up comedian. Or in this case: three stand-up comedians. The location is not New York, but another cultural melting pot: Johannesburg. South Africa. Here is where the similarities stop, though.

Bunny Chow's photography (black & white shot in high definition video) gives it a rougher edge. There is no nudity or sex, but there is quite some swearing and macho talk about women. So this may not be your typical dating movie, but perhaps more something for a night with the guys..

What really works in this film are the naturally flowing dialogs and fine acting. What helps of course, is that most actors play characters that are not too removed from their real-life persona. As a result, this all feels very real, and not acted, without becoming a documentary.

What I really like is the good chemistry between all the main characters. This is not very hard to imagine if you know that most of the cast are friends outside the scope of this film. This comes across very well on screen.

Plotwise, there is not much renewing going on, but this will probably not bother anyone very much. This is basically a sequence of many - often funny - situations and events happening with a group of characters who happen to be stand-up comedians in South Africa.

I can recommend this movie to anybody who likes stand-up comedy and who is not easily offended by some male chauvinistic humor. I rate this as an interesting and entertaining watch,suitable for repeat viewing: 9/10.

Language Trivia: Most of the movie is in English, with some dialog in Afrikaans. Be warned that the English dialog is often very difficult to follow, because or poor sound conditions (e.g. noisy background) and heavy South African accents. I spoke with someone who is from Johannesburg and even she had trouble following some of the language..

I saw this movie with only the Afrikaans being subtitled. I missed probably 40% of the English dialog. The remaining 60% is still funny enough to have made this worth my while, though. The filmmakers acknowledge the problem and have plans to have all of the dialog subtitled.

Casting Trivia: The three main characters are in real life also stand-up comedians. Kim Engelbrecht, who plays Keg's girlfriend has in real life also had her go as a stand-up comedian.

Photography Trivia: The black and white photography in high definition video (HD) was chosen after doing a series of tests. The director thought this looked best considering the (very low) budget that they had to make this movie. He also liked what B&W did for urban movies that he admires such as Manhattan and La Haine. He likes the "New York look" Bunny Chow got as a result.

Title Trivia: "Bunny Chow" is a kind of South African food. It is basically a bread with a lot of stuff in it. As is explained in the first minute of the movie, for the filmmakers it symbolizes "the ethnic melting pot that is the city of Johannesburg."

Most movies made regarding South Africa all centre on the old themes: Apartheid, HIV/AIDS, poverty, the African condition, etc. Bunny Chow, on the other hand, is about absolutely none of these things. It is just a movie, and as in all good movies, theme is subservient to character. What it does show is a few case studies on the new generation of South Africans, who can speak openly about contentious issues such as race in an atmosphere of mutual acceptance an even fascination.

Most importantly, though, is that it is funny. Really funny. Some of the dialogue is absolutely hilarious. Another surprise is the cinematography. Every image and motion bursts with originality. Shot completely in black and white, this comedy has a seriousness that in the end turns Bunny Chow into a pleasure to consider.

This could have been a very good film, if I had been able to watch it. The hand held camera was very bouncy. From the opening credits I was worried. Several of us watching it felt very nauseous by the end. But we did stay until the end because it was such a charming and interesting film, giving some insight to the young pop culture in South Africa. The black and white film did enhance the artful feeling of it. The acting seemed very authentic. Some of the dialog was a little hard to understand, but a theater full of non-South Africans seemed to find most of it funny. If you get motion sickness at all though, you may seriously consider skipping this film. It's quaint, but not worth the nausea.

I totally agree with the review by a reviewer of Variety that the film is never quite as funny, lively or insightful about the creative process as its premise would seem to warrant. Narratively it is messy and the lighting is really problematic. If the film is supposed to be character-driven the poor lighting doesn't enhance the acting and it is sometimes difficult to observe the facial expressions of the actors. Many non-South Africans will have difficulty in following the spoken English in the film and some of the local humor will be lost in the process. I watched the film at the Cape Town World Cinema festival last year. Comments and reactions to the film ranged from unwatchable and sloppy to a welcome departure from the films about our painful past. Unfortunately Bunny Chow won't be remembered as one of the bright lights of the South African New Wave, but some of the remarkable films about our apartheid history will indeed be rated among our best in our 110 year old film history. Not surprisingly the film disappeared from cinemas in Cape Town only two weeks after its release and from most of the cinemas in Durban and Gauteng. It has clearly limited appeal among South African audiences.

"Bunny Chow: Know Thyself" is a 2006 South African movie directed by John Barker. The movie tells the story of three comedians and a weird guy named Cope who embark on a raucous weekend journey to Oppikoppi, South Africa's biggest rock festival. The guys slip out of the city for a few dusty and increasingly absurd days with hopes of mass debauchery, drugs, rampant sex, true love, and conquering the comedy stages, but they get a bit more than they bargained for.

The movie is a hilarious and heartfelt road-trip comedy about South Africa's new generation. The pace of the movie is slow, but it gives the plot and the audience enough time to fully realize the implications of the eventual revelations. The cinematography is stunning, and the performances by the cast are exceptional. David Kibuuka delivers a nuanced and complex performance that captures the character's inner turmoil and transformation.

Overall, "Bunny Chow: Know Thyself" is a must-see film that will leave you moved and inspired. It is a masterpiece that deserves to be seen and appreciated by all.