Les Initiés

Saw this movie at the Berlinale film festival 2017, where it was part of the Panorama section and programmed at the opening night. It has two main story lines. The first one shows the initiation rites itself. What these rituals entail is actually a taboo and details are not assumed to come out in the open, but nowadays it is less a taboo than it ever has been. Descriptions can be found in several recent books, for example one by Nelson Mandela. I consider this the documentary half of the movie. The second story line is the dramatic developments around the still dormant relationship of two men, Xolani and Vija. Their relationship existed for a long time but they lost track of each other, yet we see that it may be dormant but still partly active at the time of the initiation rites at hand. Like everywhere else in the world same-sex love is also a taboo in South Africa, but again less a taboo that is ever has been. Both plot lines come together at the remote terrain where the initiation rites will take its traditional course.

Kwanda is one of the young men to be initiated in the customs and traditions of the ancient tribes. Circumcision is part of the ritual plus a subsequent healing process under supervision of their respective caregivers. Kwanda's father asked Xolani as caregiver for Kwanda, and told him to be very strict with Kwanda as his mother had spoiled him too much. Vija is a caregiver of even three young men, who however do not play a role important enough to be mentioned by name. A particular detail about Xolani is, when passing through these rites as a young man, his experience was extra traumatic as he had no caregiver to support him, and had to cope on his own and to find out everything by himself.

In a side story line we see that Kwanda does not really blend in with the rest of the initiates. Some people explain it as simple jealousy (Kwanda wore much better shoes than the rest, his family had more money, and that he grew up in the city counts too). Others say that it is because he deviates from the rituals, for example by refusing to give a speech as we see all others do. In a later scene we see his shoes taken from him, but as he clearly takes a stand that he does not like it, he gets them back, contrary to what we see in movies with high school bullying as main topic. Later on, probably by making clear that he is able to speak out and stand up when needed, we see that he is not permanently kept away from the other initiates, but still remains not fully accepted as one of them though.

There comes a moment, about at two thirds of the running time, that the story blurs. It starts with changing focus away from the initiation rituals. We following our three main characters who see a daunting task before them to find their own way out of the situation that has grown between Xolani, Vija, and Kwanda. The latter has seen the other two in flagrant circumstances, but explicitly states that their secret is safe with him. Vija apparently does not trust him with their secret and chases Kwanda in the woods. From this moment on, each of the threesome faces his own problems how to deal with the outside world when returning from the initiation camp. And each has to find his own way out, which is the central theme of the last one third of the movie.

From the final Q&A I noted some pieces of information about South Africa without verification, yet relevant for the above. Their national constitution is very liberal and has no problems with same-sex relationships, even to the extent that South Africa was the third country in the world to allow same-sex marriages, long before it became mainstream in the Western countries. Roughly speaking, in some parts of the larger cities, same-sex relationships are more or less "normal", as far as normal goes when ample people have problems with its existence in the first place. On the other hand, in other parts of the same cities, it is not accepted at all, nor is it tolerated outside the big cities.

All in all, the above is presented in an informative as well as compelling way. The movie is partly a documentary and partly taking a stand on same-sex relationships packaged in a coherent story. As far as the documentary is concerned, rest assured that the fine details of the circumcision are suggested rather than shown, so there is virtually no blood in the movie other than with some inevitable fights with so many men together. The dramatic developments around the same-sex relationship between Xolani and Vija are shown in more detail on two occasions, but it does not dominate the screenplay at all. The predetermined setup of having two story lines, documentary next to a same-sex relationship drama, was confirmed in the final Q&A by the film makers. As said before, informative as well as compelling, thus a perfect way to open the Panaroma section of the Berlinale 2017.

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.

The question isn't whether "The Wound" is audacious-it's whether it even bothers to disguise its brutal intentions. Directed by John Trengove, this South African film dives headfirst into the complex and often uncomfortable world of masculinity, tradition, and desire. It's a film that dares to lay bare the raw nerve endings of cultural practices and sexual awakening, but the question remains: does it advance the conversation, or does it simply revel in its shock value?

"The Wound" centers around a rite of passage known as the ulwaluko, a traditional Xhosa circumcision ceremony that serves as a painful coming-of-age ritual for young men. Enter Xolani (Bongile Mantsai), a reluctant participant who returns to the mountains, hiding deep emotional scars beneath a stoic facade. When his childhood friend Vija (Niza Jay) arrives, the film ignites into an intense exploration of forbidden love and the chafing tension between societal expectations and personal identity.

Did I mention how utterly uncomfortable it can be? In the first act, Trengove's film is laden with magnetic visuals and ominous undertones, in stark contrast to the resonant silence of the characters grappling with their hidden truths. But does discomfort lead to insight, or does it simply serve as an excuse for an artistic endurance test? I found myself straddling both sides of this line, at times entranced by its boldness, and at other moments, repulsed by its seemingly gratuitous male nudity and torture-do we really need to endure this level of discomfort to understand its artistic merit?

The cinematography is, without a doubt, a stunning element of "The Wound." The South African landscape is both breathtaking and haunting, an apt backdrop for the turmoil brewing within the characters. But can beautiful visuals compensate for muddled thematic execution?

The cinematography is, without a doubt, a stunning element of "The Wound." The South African landscape is both breathtaking and haunting, an apt backdrop for the turmoil brewing within the characters. But can beautiful visuals compensate for muddled thematic execution? The film's pacing often feels disjointed-are we meant to be lulled by the rhythmic beauty of nature while internal conflicts bubble just beneath the surface? Or is it just an elaborate way to distract from its uneven narrative?

Now, onto the performances-if only I could say that every actor hit the mark. Mantsai delivers a rich, layered portrayal of Xolani, embodying suppressed longing with palpable depth. Niza Jay has moments that flicker with charisma but is overshadowed by the script's uneven treatment. Why is it that the secondary characters feel underdeveloped while the lead wrestles with the weight of an entire oppressive culture? Is it too much to expect more well-rounded portrayals in a film that aspires to tackle such grave themes?