The
South African film Inxeba is now streaming on Netflix a remarkable
feat. Inxeba is the first and only South African film to be watched on
Netflix. The controversial film which tells the story of initiation,
circumcision, masculinity and manhood has set tongues wagging for its
depiction of the sacred Xhosa initiation rite.
The South African film Inxeba, The Wound is the first South African film on Netflix. Photo: Twitter/Inxeba
Today we celebrate the good news of Inxeba, The Wound, which
became the latest South African film to be streamed on Netflix. The film
came out in cinemas on February 2.
The film follows Xolani, a young man who joins the other men of his
community on a journey to the mountains to initiate a group of teenagers
into manhood. However, one of the initiates discovers Xolani’s secret.
The story tracks a closeted relationship between two men in the context
of the Xhosa initiation ritual.
Following the release of the film in South Africa, there were
protests and death threats. Many complained that the film represented
the Xhosa culture in negative light. Out of the 16 cinemas that were to
show the film, only seven showed it. The film has however performed
exceptionally well on the Box Office despite the furore it has
generated. The South African film Inxeba was released on the 2nd of February. Photo: Twitter/Inxeba
In an interview with HuffingtonPost, John Trengove the director of
the film said, “Everyone is entitled to protest the film, but when it
comes to people shutting down the film, we really take it personally.”
The film opened at number five on the box office. With debates being
raised on social media, the film has gained popularity and more people
are going to the cinemas to watch it.
Guy Lodge a movie reviewer for Variety said the film is, “Universally
identifiable but rooted in fascinating indigenous tradition, “The
Wound” should bleed deeply into the international festival circuit-
particularly its LGBT division.
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