The Wound tackles traditional conceptions of manhood

15 August, 2016 - 07:11

A gay teenagers traditional rite of passage into manhood turns dangerous when he discovers a closeted relationship between two rural men in The Wound, the debut feature from Johannesburg-based director John Trengove.

Currently in the final stages of production in South Africa, The Wound tells the story of Kwanda, a precocious gay teenager from an affluent city family who travels to the rural settlement of his familys origin to be circumcised in a traditional rite of passage into manhood.

While recuperating in an isolated mountain hut, Kwanda forms a close bond with his caregiver, Xolani, a mysterious local man who helps him get through his first week on the mountain.

Kwandas curiosity is piqued when he begins to suspect that Xolani is involved in a closeted sexual relationship with Vija, a charismatic but volatile man from the village. When Kwanda, drawn to Vija, seeks out his approval as a father figure, a potentially dangerous love triangle begins to take shape.

Latest offering from edgy indie company Urucu Media

Its the latest film from independent production company Urucu Media, following multiple award-winning drama Necktie Youth, and demonstrates once more the companys willingness to tackle uncomfortable current social issues while nurturing new voices in South African film.

The film also also showcases Urucu Medias ability to forge international working relationships - not surprising perhaps for a company which straddles Johannesburg, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro. The Wound is being co-produced by OAK Motion Pictures (The Netherlands), Sampek (France) and Salzgeber (Germany).

Having already collected development and production awards from French broadcaster Arte, Torino Film Lab, the Hamburg Regional Fund and Hubert Bals in Holland, The Wound has also now been selected for the final cut section of the Venice Film Festivals 2016 film market, the Venice Production Bridge.

Starting on 1 September, the two-day financing event will host 40 selected European and international projects looking to close their financing.

Challenging narrow depictions of African masculinity

Director and co-writer John Trengove, in notes prepared for the 2014 edition of the Torino Film Lab, says that when he started writing The Wound he was frustrated with very narrow depictions of African masculinity in cinema and wanted to push back against some of the homophobic attitudes sweeping my continent.

Researching the mysterious Ukwaluka, an initiation into manhood thought to cure young men of homosexual desire, ambivalent feelings arose in me as I began to grapple with the idea of my own masculinity.

What has emerged, says Trengove, is a dangerous love triangle that plays out in a realm never before depicted in film, where traditional culture intersects with homosexuality in an African context.

The film interrogates the question: what does it mean to be a man?

At the same time, he says, it is a high-stakes story that will show a unique world to the viewers and keep them at the edge of their seat all the way to the end We have a thrilling drama that appeals to a mature male and female audience, world cinema lovers, the socially responsible and cinephiles.

Feature film debut for multi-talented Nakhane Tour

Also making his feature film debut in The Wound is multi-talented Nakhane Tour , an openly gay singer-songwriter who won a 2014 Sama award for his debut album, Brave Confusion, and the following year published his first novel, Piggy Boys Blues.

Raised mostly in Port Elizabeth and now based in Johannesburg, Tour s own experience with the issues confronted in The Wound makes him ideally suited for the lead role of Kwanda.

In an interview with City Press in 2013, Tour said: Im Xhosa and theres a huge spotlight on masculinity and what it means to be a man in Eastern Cape. So I did everything. I went through the rites of passage of being Xhosa. I went to the mountain.

I remember my mother used to tell me: Just go, and get it over with. Satisfy your father and after that, you can do whatever you like with your life.

Tour told City Press that his sexual orientation put him at odds with his uncle, a tribal chief in Alice and therefore the custodian of culture in his community. I remember we were talking about these things and I said to him: But malume, phaya ebuhlanti [at the kraal or initiation school] there are men having sex with other men.

And he didnt even try to get away from it. He said: Yes, but we dont talk about it. I couldnt believe it. Then I said I wanted to talk about it.

The Wound is produced by Elias Ribeiro and Batana Vundla, and also stars Bongile Mantsai (Cold Harbour). It was co-written by Trengove, Thando Mgqolozana and Malusi Bengu, and will screen in Xhosa with English subtitles.

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