Yesterday

As an American student, my understanding of HIV/AIDS is usually done by research and books from class. This movie so strongly corresponds to much of the information given in books like "African Feminism" and "Black Death: AIDS in Africa" to name a few. The depiction of Yesterday's grief and acceptance, in addition to her husband's denial, rings true and brings tears to your eyes. One interesting point is the fact that HIV is not even mentioned until half way through the movie, even then it is called 'the virus.' This could mimic the attitude of silence by Africans on the issue. Other fine points about this film include the fact that is truly one story. Yesterday is not then compared to thousands of other dying women, although we know that this is the case. We see the world through her eyes and in her small village. While the pacing sometimes may drag, it is a spectacular film spoken in the beautiful Zulu language. I would definitely recommend it and see it more than once.

Yesteday was an impressive movie for me since I have never looked at AIDS in such a near and tangible way.The start point of the movie is a long road in African beautiful deserts where is restricted with barbed wire from the rest of the world. When you see the sky and the earth touch each other as they are ready to press a young slim black woman and her little daughter. Yesterday has a nice innocent face which crystalizes her heartily pain and eagerness to keep on for Beauty very well. The little girl,named Beauty,is the representative of a new African generation,not satisfied with her primitive life, asks about being a bird to fly or having a motorcycle to be speedy and comfortable.That is admirable while Yesterday illiterate is so ambitious for Beauty to start school.It gives you the sense of progress of the continent which always was narrated inferior and savage. Another justification the movie gives for African roughness is the low-level facilities exist.Yesterday and her husband are victims of AIDS because poverty makes them so far from each other that her husband betrays the family for whom day and night he overworks. Yesterday's illness is also distinguished very late and she should make a quarantine for her husband when there is no bed for him in the hospital.However, it sounds people got used to it and even such a terrible disease is faced with deep understanding but coldness. The movie is very female-oriented in a society which looks a masculine one.The most successful and efficient characters are women like Yesterday,the teacher and the doctor. Yesterday is the representative of the traditional society,too. She is given AIDS by her husband, but she bears his kicks and harshness. The movie music which is African well transfers the nature of Africa to the audience. The movie clearly is ordered to inform about AIDS but in an efficient story and setting.

Well, really just about living in Rural South Africa. Living in south Africa the HIV/AIDS pandemic (and governments response to it), can make one feel very depressed about the where South Africa is going. But this movie is quite uplifting. Yesterday faces a number of hardships already (she lives in relative poverty, separated from husband for most of year, no education), but she when she comes across another, HIV/AIDS, she faces it head on. She is determined to that her daughter will get an education. Because she has this to fight for, she stays positive. When the doctor comments on how well she is doing, she comments it is her mind that is strong, not her body. Mental strength is something needed all round SA in fighting the Pandemic. From patients, but also their communities, so that HIV positive people will find support rather than stigmatization.

As a South African, this is the first time I've seen any media portray the HIV/Aids crises in our country in a way that makes it real, without political agenda or moralizing the issue. For that I commend the film. What also impressed me was the film's simplicity and the fact that it was unpredictable in its character portrayal.Cinematographically, it is definitely one of the best movies ever to have come from our shores. Then there is the brilliant acting by Khumalo. The film is not without fault, but it shows that our film industry is capable of producing quality films. Just a pity that most South African audiences do not give the local industry the support it needs.

An achingly beautiful film that is truly sublime in its simplicity. Leleti Khumalo, who plays "Yesterday", is utter enveloping to watch as she juggles her relationship with her daughter Beauty, her chores that are a matter of survival in the Zulu village, and her secret of a virus that will "stop her from living." Her strength and warmth in her vision of people even clouds her judgement when it comes to her relationship with her husband who works far away in Johannesburg. When the doctor at the clinic asks her how she got named "Yesterday," she answers: "It was my father. He always thought yesterday was better than today or tomorrow. But that was a long time ago."