This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection

Great and engaging movie. Would give it more stars if it wasn't for the lead actress, it was clear she was not comfortable with the Sesotho language.

The story is a sad saga, and sadder still for its familiarity. Simply put "Progress" marches in and paves over villages.

More specifically the "dammed" are flooded out of their homes, something that may resonate from China to Mexico to the United States or in this case to the heart of Lesotho.

While this film is resplendent in flavors of Lesotho, do not miss it for its remarkable

1) sound!!! From the opening oration and instrumentation over a tracking shot to the stunning soundtrack work by Yu Miyashita to other sounds captured.

2) performance by Mary Twala. RIP on this date in 2000, but what a towering swan song performance to a lengthy career and life. I understand she does not speak Sesotho, of course neither do I. But her face alone has its own rich language, and the the director (who *does* speak Sesotho) chose Ms. Twala and found so much strength in her.

3) range in hues of blue.

This is one film I expect to watch again, and maybe even just listen to it again. It is not a jeremiad, but it is a lively cinematic creation from Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese.

This Is Not A Burial, It's A Resurrection is a cinematically stunning and culturally significant film. I cannot capture into words how absolutely stunning and captivating this film truly is, from the beautifully timed shots, colours, costumes, the performances, the landscapes and its themes. It is not spoken about enough. Directed by the brilliant and award winning director and cinematographer from Hlotse, Lesotho, Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, famously known for his bold cinematography and exploration and inclusion of African spirituality, its importance and its essence in a way that is authentic, bold, unapologetic and real. The film is about a 80 year old woman, Mantoa played by the exceptional Mary Twala, in a small village with a newly found desire to live life when her village is faced with possible destruction because of plans to build a reservoir that'll displace everyone in the village including Mantoa. This threat of destruction sparks something in Mantoa and she finds herself a hero and a symbol of resistance when she resists the oppressive forces. And in the midst of all of this Mantoa is making her own funeral arrangements, something morbid but is made symbolically beautiful in the film. The idea of death, which once brought her peace, becomes something to fight against not only for herself, but for the memory and dignity of her ancestors.

Mantoa is a quiet and grieving widow, finds a new reason to live. Mary Twala's performance is breathtaking. Without needing to say much, she expresses deep grief, strength, and quiet power. Her face carries the weight of a lifetime. With every look and every word, she brings Mantoa to life in a way that feels real and raw. There is a deep sadness in her eyes, but also fire. She is a powerhouse and almost a homage if not a love letter to every black women in South Africa who has led a resistance and in the process of that she becomes the resistance. And as someone who lived through apartheid I am sure Mary Twala took this role very personally and a place of having live through every emotion and struggle her character is going through. There is a sort of truth to her performance that leaves my breathless. One of the most moving things about Twala's performance is how still she is. She does not have big dramatic outbursts. Her strength is quiet and calm. She has the presence that is out of this world, almost spiritual. Mary Twala is simply brilliant.

The supporting actors also give beautiful performances. Each villager feels like a real person with a deep history and connection to the land. The way the people talk, sing, pray and grieve together shows the importance of culture and spirituality especially when faced with destruction. The lack of violence in their fight is commendable and heartbreaking because it is so frustrating and hard to make sense of in the moment but after the film you understand that their power comes from the teachings of those who came before them and that they carry the resilience of those that came before them. At this point I might just be rambling because of how starstruck I still am by this film.

Visually, the film is absolutely stunning. Every frame looks like a painting. A Van Gogh painting to be specific, with the emotions to match. The colours are rich and bold with deep blues, warm earth tones, and glowing candle lights which contribute significantly to the narrative of the film which I won't spoil. The visuals of the film are what make Mosese such an incredible cinematographer. Every colour in the film is tied to an emotion and that alone its own experience in the film.

The camera often stays still, allowing us to take in the landscape, the faces, and the details of the village. Every shot feels intentional and is timed perfectly.

The cinematography often uses shadows, silhouettes, and natural light to create strong images. Death and life are shown together. Graves are captured beside homes and silence is met with a song. The pairing of these things that are so opposite to one another contribute to the absolute brilliance of this film.

This film is in Sesotho so if you aren't familiar with the language you have to watch it with subtitles which takes attention from the film and changes the experience of the film. But the language makes the film and cements it as a culturally significant piece of cinema that needs to be studied and taught.

Lesotho, never heard about this country before; Sotho never knew there was such a language.

It took sometime for me to get into the film, only then I realised how deep, intense, unique and poetic is this film. There are so many elements of a perfect art house product.

A Director with a vision, a cinematographer who completely understands him, the perfect cast who did an amazing job, and all other aspects of cinematic grammar makes it an outstanding film.

A visual and aural treat. Mosese is Africa's most promising director alive. He has put Lesotho on the world's quality cinema map with this film. Beautiful cinematography, casting, art direction, sound management and original scriptwriting.