Janet Suzman narrates this intriguing documentary about the work of South African photographer David Goldblatt. Although he doesn't feel his work is openly political, Goldblatt has deep feelings about the injustices of the apartheid system in South Africa. Describing the situation, he says: "You wake up in the morning, take your first breath of air, and you've compromised." Born in 1930 in South Africa, Goldblatt recalls his initial brushes with prejudice in the form of anti-Semitism when he was growing up. Thus it was a sympathetic eye that witnessed the installation of the Dutch Afrikaaner government in 1948, and the subsequent codification of racial segregation. Throughout the documentary, we see the powerful images that have been captured by Goldblatt's camera: the suspicious, fearful eyes of blacks living in cramped quarters, contrasted with the assured superiority inherent in the gaze of what Goldblatt terms "white everydayness"; the striking pictures of young blacks playing in and around the hulks of wrecked autos which litter the African plain; or the tired faces of black workers who catch a commuter bus from Kwandaberry at 2:30 a.m. for a 4-5 hour trip to their jobs in Pretoria. This is a compelling look at one man's view of South Africa, recorded in his numerous books of photography. For David Goldblatt, who raises his voice through his photographs, his goal is simple: "In the future, people will know what happened here." Highly recommended. (Available from: Wombat Film & Video, 250 West 57th St., Suite 2421, New York, NY 10019.)
David Goldblatt In Black & White
(1986) 52 m. $150. Wombat Film & Video. Public performance rights included. Vol. 4, Issue 7
David Goldblatt In Black & White
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