How would you feel if your son killed someone? Have you ever imagined being kith and kin with someone with blood on their hands? How would you react? What would you say if you were to come face to face with the victim's family? What does the upbringing of an eventual criminal look like?
Difficult questions all of these. Mother to Mother is unsparing, posing all of these questions in a mid-length documentary form that examines violence, pain and apartheid related violence in South Africa. Mother to Mother also transcends the hurt and the pain offering catharsis and some form of healing from wounds long ago inflicted.
Directed by Sara CF de Gouveia, the film is based on a book of fiction inspired by a real life incident of four young men who murdered Amy Biehl, a young female human rights activist and Fulbright scholar in South Africa in 1993.
The book was written by the mother of one of the killers, Sindiwe Magona and is addressed to the mother of the victim. Magona writes, "I do not pretend to know how your daughter died... my son was only an agent..". In some way, Mother to Mother recalls Joshua Oppenheimer's The Act of Killing only this time, the killer's mother is the one searching for closure.
Through various visual styles, the film observes how the novel- and the play based on it- have made an impact in the society. The film makes use of live footage of an actress putting on a one-woman show using storytelling techniques, singing, and projection of images. In addition, the filmmaker speaks with the writer, actress, play director, and a handful of young school students as they reflect on the significance of the novel's narrative.
The young generations represent the future of the country, and while they read the novel as part of curriculum, they can appreciate the privileges of being born free and having equal opportunities with their peers. This may be taken for granted these days but it seems like essential knowledge. Mother to Mother urges forgiveness as a weapon for avoiding a vicious cycle of violence.
Mother to Mother considers the past, present and future, while asking some tough questions. CF de Gouveia uses interdisciplinary forms of art, not to present simple answers, but to explore ways of turning grief into powerful medicine.
By: Mohamed Tarek
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, Mohamed Tarek.
