For more than one hundred years since the infamous Berlin conference, African countries were colonised by different European nations. The after effects linger even till this day as the continent continues to suffer from the emotional and material damages of those years of domination. By All Means Necessary which screened at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival brings viewers inside the era of Africa's decolonisation process, offering insight into the ways that political and civil rights leaders of the time went to work.
The documentary makes use of considerable video archival material to enact the various struggles for decolonisation from Algeria to South Africa. Speeches and conferences of great leaders- mostly men- are highlighted as the filmmaker presents a version of history, giving even more context to the very real challenges of the present.
The decision of keeping the visuals black and white, even for footage that isn't archival, unifies the story yet gives it a feel of incompleteness. And in many ways this makes sense as the struggle for Africa's total liberation is still far from over. Some brutal and gory scenes depicting institutional violence draw attention to the realities of the present. The film is a necessary reminder, especially for the youth of today, that colonisation isn't just a part of history that is better forgotten. Sometimes, it is not enough to demand that people move on. In any case, By All Means Necessary explains why the continent is still fragile and seemingly unable to take sustainable steps forward.
Director Ramadan Suleman (Zulu Love Letter) provides actual context of that era through interviews with diplomatic and political leaders of African institutions and countries who were active in the various struggles. But try as he does, it is often difficult to understand what is really happening on screen. The scenes, often cut randomly are quite chaotic. The jump cuts from one talking head to another in particular, often give a very unnatural flow. Audiences who are not knowledgeable about these struggles may find it all a bit confusing.
While the documentary has this messy look and feel, it clearly conveys a documentation of times gone by, this by African historians and principal players who were on the ground. A lot of the world's history is clearly written by white people so it is no small act of victory that despite institutional challenges, Africans are stepping forward to do the needful themselves. By all means necessary.
by RAJAONAH Elinoro Véronique
This story emanates from the Talent Press, an initiative of Talents Durban in collaboration with the Durban FilmMart and Africiné Magazine. The views of this article reflect the opinions of the film critic, RAJAONAH Elinoro Véronique.
