Marigolds in August is a 1980 South African drama film directed by Ross Devenish, based on the play of the same name by Athol Fugard. It was entered into the 30th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Berlin Bear Anniversary Prize.[1]
| Marigolds in August | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ross Devenish |
| Written by | Athol Fugard |
| Produced by | Mark Forstater |
| Starring | Athol Fugard, Winston Ntshona, John Kani,Joyce Hesha, Nomonde Mhlobiso, Mabel Ntshinga |
| Cinematography | Michael J. Davis |
Release date |
|
Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | South Africa |
| Language | English |
Plot edit
An examination of the 'invisibility' of blacks in South Africa caused by conditioned white indifference during Apartheid. The film is set in and around Schoenmakerskop, an opulent whites-only seaside hamlet just outside Port Elizabeth, scriptwriter Athol Fugard's home town. [2] It is an area of high Black unemployment, with as many as one in five workers jobless. As a result, malnutrition and infant mortality are rampant. Daan, a poor but employed black man, is on his way to work one morning when he sees Melton, a jobless black man. Melton and his wife have just buried one of their children. Suspicions and mistrust between the two men crop up because Daan's papers are not in order and he fears that Melton might exploit that to take his job. A third man, Paulus, appears and becomes an unwilling mediator between Daan and Melton. The moral dilemma the film presents is acted out with tremendous power and a mixture of anguish and occasional humour. [3]
Cast edit
- Athol Fugard as Paulus Olifant
- Winston Ntshona as Daan
- John Kani as Melton
- Joyce Hesha as Melton's Wife
- Nomonde Mhlobiso as Alice
- Mabel Ntshinga as Emily
References edit
- ^ "Berlinale 1980: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
- ^ SC. "Marigolds in August". Time Out Worldwide. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Marigolds in August | San Francisco Film Festival". history.sffs.org. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
External links edit
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