Director Ian Gabriel’s movie Four Corners , South Africa’s official entry for the foreign language Oscar, takes audiences behind the mountain, to the Cape Flats gangland.
[full]Touted as the first look into the 26 and 28 numbers gangs, its use of tsotsi-taal, the prison dialect sabela and Afrikaans has an authenticity that has inspired comparisons with the Brazilian film City of God.
The story focuses on 13-year-old Ricardo (Jezzriel Skei), a chess prodigy living on the Cape Flats, as he struggles to walk the straight and narrow in an environment hellbent on pulling him deeper and deeper into criminality.
Irshaad Ally plays gang leader Gasant.
Ricardo’s story is intertwined with that of his father, Farakhan (Brendon Daniels), a general in the 28 gang recently out of jail after serving a 13-year stint. Farakhan wants to turn his back on his former life, but to do this he must spill the blood of a member of the enemy gang.
Lindiwe Matshikiza gives a great performance as doctor Leila Doming in a film focused predominantly on masculinity and violence.
“Places like this [Cape Flats] were originally designed to put people out of sight and mind. They became labour dorms and people haven’t recovered,” Gabriel said .
“People there told us this is a forgotten place and no one tells their stories. We wanted to change that.”
Additional reporting by Yolisa Mkele
‘Four Corners’ is now on at cinemas nationwide[/full]