Set in rural South Africa, The Wound is a fictional drama about the real-life Ukwaluka ritual still practiced by the Xhosa tribe. Kwanda (Niza Jay Ncoyini), a smart, self-possessed boy raised by his mother in Johannesburg, is brought by his father to the mountains to toughen him up for the ceremony (which includes ritual circumcision). The story, however, focuses on Xolani (Nakhane Touré), a gay "caregiver" who hides his nature (the Xhosa culture disdains homosexuality). This lonely factory worker participates in the ceremony every year in order to meet up with boyhood friend Vija (Bongile Mantsai), a married man who puts on a front of bullying machismo in public but secretly meets up with Xolani for sex—a secret that Kwanda quickly figures out. Filmmaker John Trengove directs with a straightforward, unadorned style, revealing the brutality and bullying behind the old traditions and attitudes while also exploring how homophobia shames and pressures gay men into hiding their true natures, which has destructive consequences. A provocative and often emotionally painful drama that has won numerous film festivals awards, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)
The Wound
Kino Lorber, 88 min., in Xhosa w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $34.99 Volume 33, Issue 2
The Wound
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: