Richard Poplak is a Jewish, Johannesburg-based South African author, journalist and film maker who focuses on corporate criminality, race and equity issues.

Richard Poplak
Poplak (right) at the 2009 Pop Conference, Seattle
Born
Alma materConcordia University
Occupation(s)Journalist, director, author
Notable workKenk: A Graphic Portrait
Influence (film)
Websitehttps://richardpoplak.com/

He is the author of the 2011 graphic journalistic novel Kenk: A Graphic Portrait about notorious Toronto bike thief Igor Kent.[1] He is the co-director of Influence documentary about corruption in South Africa.

Early life and education edit

Poplak was born in Johannesburg.[2][3] He studied fine art and film making at Concordia University.[2] Poplak is Jewish.[4]

Career edit

Poplak is the author of the 2011 journalistic comic book Kenk: A Graphic Portrait.[5][6]

He is a senior contributor to the Daily Maverick.[2]

Selected publications edit

  • Richard Poplak and Diana Neille, (directors) Influence (film) documents corruption and disinformation campaigns in South Africa government and the role of Bell Pottinger in supporting them[7][8][9]
  • Richard Poplak and Kevin Bloom, Continental Shift: A Journey into Africa's Changing Fortunes, 2016 Portobello Books, ISBN 978-1-84627-374-2[10]
  • Richard Poplak, Ja No Man: Growing Up White in Apartheid Era South Africa, 2007, Penguin Canada ISBN 0-14-305044-3[11][12]
  • Richard Poplak, Kenk: A Graphic Portrait, 2010, Pop Sandbox, ISBN 978-0-9864884-0-5[13]

Awards edit

Poplak's book Ja No Man made the 2008 Alan Paton Non-Fiction prize long list[12] and the Now (newspaper) Top 10 books of 2007.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ Winterstein, Shannon. "KENK: A Graphic Portrait." Broken Pencil, no. 48, summer 2010, pp. 53+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A241279017/AONE?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=3032d36f. Accessed 19 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Richard Poplak". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  3. ^ Lucas, Powers (2 July 2013). "Why Obama is making an African power-play against China". CBC.
  4. ^ Dyzenhaus, David. "The Politics of the Ordinary". Literary Review of Canada. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Kenk: A Graphic Portrait - Quill and Quire". Quill and Quire - Canada's magazine of book news and reviews. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Bike thief Kenk subject of graphic novel". 4 May 2010.
  7. ^ Shoba, Sandisiwe (21 August 2020). "Encounters Film Festival: Bell Pottinger Exposed: Influence unpacks the evils of disinformation". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Richard Poplak, Diana Neille's "Agents of Influence" among Hot Docs Forum picks". Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  9. ^ Felperin, Leslie (3 February 2020). "'Influence': Film Review | Sundance 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  10. ^ Cummings, Ryan (2 June 2016). "Continental Shift: Question everything you think you know about Africa". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  11. ^ Mbao, Wamuwi. "Terror Terroir: Building Disruptive Possibilities in Ivan Vladislavić’s The Folly." Journal of Literary Studies 36.4 (2020): 9-26.
  12. ^ a b "Alan Paton Award Long list | Book awards | LibraryThing". www.librarything.com. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Igor Kenk gets book treatment". The Globe and Mail. 3 February 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Susan G. Cole's Top 10 Books". NOW Magazine. 27 December 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2022.