Ordinary resistance: <em>Eyes to See</em>, <em>Robots</em>, <em>Broken Windows</em>, <em>A Place Called Paradise</em>

In Eyes to See, we are introduced to Dr Yvette Abrahams, a woman who tells us a story about how she was hit by a car on the head and suffered a concussion. As a result, she sees this as a blessing, having received a calling to be a traditional healer. Once she got hit by a car, she had the ability to transition between worlds figuratively. This documentary helps us dive straight into African spirituality.

This story effectively conveys her strong connection to Sarah Baartman. If you don’t know, Sarah Baartman was a Khoekhoe woman from South Africa who was enslaved against her will and trafficked to Europe in the 19th Century. Sarah Baartman was abused and exploited for her physical voluptuous proportions by the British and the French colonisers. How does this story relate to Dr Yvette? One night, Yvette was visited in a dream by Sarah Baartman, who begged her to write about her story.

Dr Yvette accepts this challenge and writes about Sarah Baartman’s story, which then becomes her PhD thesis. Eyes to See succeeds in creating an emotional connection between the audience and the subject. The mood and atmosphere of this documentary are so inviting; there are many calm shots of Dr Yvette between mountains and caves, surrounded by her garden, and at the beach at sunset. I can agree that the cinematography lets the shots breathe and lets us appreciate the environment. This documentary highlights the significance of Sarah’s story and her lasting impact on South African history.

Robots

When the lights turn red, and the cars stop on the road, another economy comes alive. The city of gold known as Johannesburg is widely celebrated as the «City of Hustlers» We are introduced to Gift also known as «The Headless Man» who stands at the traffic light intersections locally known as the «robots» to make a living for him and his family. He is not a beggar, nor a hobo, but an entrepreneur, a hustler & entertainer who has found a gap in the market to make a living by standing at the robots to showcase his talent for juggling and unicycling. This documentary does a good job of focusing on ordinary people who are often overlooked.

This documentary gives a voice to Gift and to individuals who use creativity to earn a living in difficult circumstances. It is almost as if the robots become a symbol of both opportunity and struggle. Gift works in harsh conditions under the sun, rain, and sometimes cold conditions to make people smile and forget about their problems for just a moment while taking your kids to school or on your way to work. The least the people could do is to reward him, which sometimes isn’t the case.

Gift is always inviting, he is always smiling and happy while performing, but women are the ones who support him sometimes more than men. The difference between motorists in vehicles and workers on the streets reinforces the theme of social and economic inequality. Gift has accepted that even if you don’t reward him, he is still happy because you reacted while he was performing, which makes him content.

Broken Windows

Broken Windows is a short documentary about South Africa’s neglected streets of Benoni, in Johannesburg. This documentary focuses on the resilient and active South African citizens who have taken the initiative of cleaning up the dirty streets of Benoni. This job is supposed to be the municipality’s responsibility. However, the government has failed its own people.

Communities of unemployed older and younger women and men have teamed up to clean up because they refuse to accept the decline in their surroundings. This documentary is shot very well, thanks to its use of interviews and observational footage. The working conditions are dangerous because they must clean up along the sides of the roads and collect broken glass that could hurt them. Broken Windows motivates viewers to think about the absent government in cleaning up and maintaining public spaces.

We have to give credit to the cleaning project manager, Sandy and private security, Sean, for providing security for the women and men cleaning up the roads, because the crime rate is very high, as well as hijackings & kidnappings, as Sean stresses that you would be lucky if they tie you up and not hurt you. A classic clip of uMaleven, the best criminal in South Africa, explains what he will do to you if you do not give him what he wants. This shows the intense, horrific crimes that take place in South Africa.

It would have been beneficial if the local government and municipality had included their perspectives as to why these problems exist and what solutions are being considered. To provide a more balanced understanding of why they have neglected the streets of Johannesburg and poor service delivery. Broken Windows is a powerful and inspiring documentary that follows ordinary South Africans who refuse to give up on their environment.

A Place Called Paradise

Unlike the loud and messy streets of Johannesburg, we are introduced to a peaceful rural area called Suurbrak. This place is removed from the busy cities and townships of South Africa. This place is surrounded by animals, nature and clean environments. Unlike the crowded, neglected urban spaces found in many South African communities, Suurbrak is presented as a place where people live close together and care for one another. They believe that a clean community and environment heal.

We are introduced to a young couple who live an organic life; they farm, collect water together and plant together. This shows the support that they have for one another. This goes a long way as the residents share resources, furniture and food. They have a sense of togetherness. An old man in the community mentions that he enjoys sharing his furniture with every neighbour’s household. He feels like everyone has a piece of him, which makes him happy. This is an incredible act of selflessness and demonstrates how strong social connections can contribute and go a long way. A Place Called Paradise is an uplifting documentary that highlights community and the healing power of nature. I believe this documentary does a good job in encouraging its target audience to reflect on what creates not only a sustainable but also a meaningful life.

Eyes to See, Robots, Broken Windows and A Place Called Paradise are individual documentaries; however, there is a connection between them. There is a link among these four documentaries; they all focus on the environment. They highlight South Africa’s environmental impact on ordinary people, whether positive or negative. These are impact films that need to be mobilised and advertised to communities and a wider audience.

This review emanates from the Talent Press programme, an initiative of Talents Durban in collaboration with the Durban FilmMart Institute and FIPRESCI. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author (Hlumela Luvuno) and cannot be considered as constituting an official position of the organisers.