THE PULSE OF MEMORY, THE POWER OF STORY
FEATURED FILMS
How Long Director: Gibson Kente Starring: Mary Twala, Darlington Michaels, Ndaba Mhlongo, Peter Sephuma, and Armstrong Ngcobondwane, Nomsa Nene, Nomsa Xaba Runtime: 71 minutes Gibson Kente’s How Long? is a powerful, music-filled drama that brings township life under apartheid into sharp, human focus. At the heart of the story is Khulu, a much-loved grandmother doing her best to hold her family together. But when a petty, power-hungry local policeman tears the family apart, Khulu is left alone—vulnerable to a cold and uncaring system. Her death is both a deeply personal loss and a devastating reflection of the times. Yet the film isn’t only about pain. Kente masterfully weaves in moments of sharp humour and vibrant song, reminding us of the joy and resilience that existed even in the darkest moments. The music doesn’t soften the story—it strengthens it, shining a light on how people resisted with spirit, laughter, and love. To avoid apartheid censorship, the production moved to King William’s Town, but even that wasn’t enough to escape the regime’s reach. Kente was arrested on the final day of the shoot, and after one public screening at Eyethu Cinema in Soweto, the film was immediately banned. Now, 49 years later, How Long? is being seen publicly again for the first time—restored and reintroduced to a new generation. With unforgettable performances by Mary Twala, Darlington Michaels, Ndaba Mhlongo, Peter Sephuma, and Armstrong Ngcobondwane, this screening is more than just a tribute. It’s a long-overdue homecoming.
Dilemma (1962) Director: Henning Carlsen Starring: Zakes Mokae, Ivan Jackson, Gideon Nxumalo Runtime: 89 mins Toby, a young English businessman, arrives in South Africa to take charge of a publishing firm. He knows little about apartheid and so at first sees no contradiction in developing a relationship with an elite, upper-class white woman and with a woman dedicated to fighting apartheid. But as Toby makes friends with a black South African (Zakes Mokae), and as he registers both the subtle and more obvious, deep-seated racial prejudices of the minority white population, some of the truth of the oppression here begins to dawn. That is brought to a head when tragedy strikes. Dilemma was shot clandestinely in Johannesburg. It is based on Nobel Prize Winner Nadine Gordimer’s novel, A World of Strangers which was banned by the apartheid government. 📍 Venue: The Bioscope, Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouvea Rosebank
Siliva the Zulu (1927) Director: Attilio Gatti In 1927, Lido Cipriani, an anthropologist from the University of Florence, and Captain Attilio Gatti, a specialist in wildlife filming, led an expedition to then Zululand in South Africa. There they made Siliva, a romantic look at Zulu life. The film is a mix of ritual and folklore. Although the dramatic silent feature is distorted and outdated, as it is as a presentation of Zulu life early in the twentieth century, it nevertheless contains authentic elements. It should be viewed both as an example of Western concepts of 'the tribal' and as one of the first serious attempts to record Zulu life and culture. 📍 Venue: The Bioscope, The Forge
Charlie Steel (1980) Director: Bevis Parsons Starring: Sol Rachilo, Sonto Mazibuko, Lefty Maruping Runtime: 80 mins When Dlamini's daughter, Dudu, is kidnapped for ransom, he calls on his old friend Charlie Steel, a renowned Private Investigator. Charlie attempts to infiltrate the gang responsible, but is soon exposed by one of his ex-army comrades, a vicious murderer by the name of Jimmy, working for the gangster known as Sonny. Charlie Steel’s daring escapades lead him to dangerous and triumphant outcomes.
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found (2024) Director: Raoul Peck Narrated by LaKeith Stanfield Runtime: 105 minutes Ernest Cole, a South African photographer, was the first to expose the horrors of apartheid to a world audience. His book House of Bondage, published in 1967 when he was only 27 years old, led him into exile in NYC and Europe for the rest of his life, never to find his bearings. Filmmaker Raoul Peck recounts his wanderings, his turmoil as an artist and his anger, on a daily basis, at the silence or complicity of the Western world in the face of the horrors of the Apartheid regime. He also recounts how, in 2017, 60,000 negatives of his work were discovered in the safe of a Swedish bank. 📍 Venue: Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouvea Rosebank, The Bioscope, Eyethu Heritage Hall
Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens (2024) Director: Nhlanhla Mthethwa Runtime: 74 minutes Going behind the lens, Sam Nzima’s life unfolds against one of history’s most recognised photographs, the haunting image of Hector Pieterson during the 1976 Soweto Uprising. Through the events surrounding June 16, 1976, the film chronicles Nzima’s life, from his early days in rural Transvaal to his rise as a key figure in South African journalism, at the frontlines of media that forever changed the political landscape of South Africa. Nzima’s historic photograph, which laid bare the brutal truths of apartheid and shattered the government’s carefully crafted propaganda, led to his forced exile. Despite this, Nzima did not retain copyright of his images until decades later, revealing a new wave of exploitation and control of the black narrative Through exclusive interviews, rare archival footage, and intimate personal stories, Sam Nzima: A Journey Through His Lens reveals the complex, unspoken power of one image, one man, and countless sacrifices made in the pursuit of freedom and justice for all. 📍 Venue: The Bioscope, The Market Photo Workshop
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (2024) Dir: Johan Grimonprez Runtime: 80 mins Jazz and decolonization are entwined in this historical rollercoaster that rewrites the Cold War episode that led musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach to crash the UN Security Council in protest against the murder of Patrice Lumumba. Jazz wasn’t just music: it was diplomacy, revolution, and resistance. 📍 Venue: Ster Kinekor Cinema Nouveau Rosebank
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