young men and their elders together experiencing the rigors of the wilderness is a kind of rite all over the world. It can be a time of self-discovery and liberation. In “The Wound,” a group of South African teenagers and their adult caretakers gather in a camp near mountains to observe a Xhosa ritual. The young men, called novitiates, are circumcised, and spend multiple weeks in the camp healing under supervision of the adults, who themselves underwent the procedure years before.
Trailer: ‘The Wound’
A preview of the film.
By KINO LORBER on August 15, 2017. Photo by Kino Lorber.Watch in Times Video »
In this austere and unsettling film, directed by John Trengove and inspired by a novel by Thando Mgqolozana (who worked on the screenplay with Malusi Bengu and Mr. Trengove), the camp, which is the movie’s only setting, becomes a kind of prison. The taciturn Xolani (Nakhane Touré) is charged with looking after a sullen boy named Kwanda (Niza Jay Ncoyini). He’s also hooking up on the sly with Vija (Bongile Mantsai), another male caretaker with a wife and children back home. The campfire conversations of blustery teenagers and chest-puffing elders contrast with the shame and rage of Xolani, who is not out, and Vija, who is leading a double life. As it happens, Kwanda isn’t having it. He’s relatively comfortable with his sexuality and disgusted by Xolani, whom he sees as a hypocrite for having
Mr. Trengove shoots the film in intimate wide-screen, getting in close to the characters as they tamp down explosive feelings, often letting the spectacular landscapes break down into soft-focus abstractions. His direction is perfectly judged up to and including the shudder-inducing ending.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário