Yesterday
Having never (shamefully) viewed an African-made film before, I leapt out of my seat and into a frenzied cyber-spacic email at the chance to see and review the new South African film Yesterday. Directed by political South African filmmaker Darrel Roodt, and the first movie to be filmed in the Zulu language, Yesterday is a stirring yet unsentimental portrayal of a young woman’s struggle with HIV. The harsh landscapes and considered employment of regional music serve to heighten the emotional intensity of the subject matter; however, Roodt does not allow the harrowing topic to overwhelm the viewer. Instead, one walks away with a heightened insight into the indomitable power of love, friendship and courage in the face of fear and pain.
Yesterday is so named after the lead character (played with strength by the famed Leleti Khumalo), whose daughter Beauty is also strikingly named. Their life is not an easy one; the film opens with a scene of the mother and daughter walking many miles from their farm village in “the middle of nowhere” to attend a medical clinic. Their everyday struggle is illuminated by the opening shot, in which the camera slowly pans across the harsh South African landscape. This example of cinematography heralds a construct that will be repeated throughout the movie. Similarly, music is consistently used to emphasise harrowing scenes, delight in joyous moments, and is ignored altogether with shocking effects in a scene of violence.
The movie also demonstrates the courage that can be exacted from a person in a time of great illness, as we watch Yesterday confront her diagnosis of AIDS, and state her goal to be with her daughter on her first day of school. Beauty and Yesterday enjoy a loving relationship, and Yesterday’s daughter is obviously a source of joy in her life, as is her friendship with a local school teacher. The theme of friendship resonates in Yesterday, as the women of local village commiserate over the labours of life, and also demonstrate to Australian viewers the fortunate nature of our existence in this country.
This compelling film exacts a physical response due to the stirring performance of Khumalo, and the formidable direction by Roodt. These established artists unite to quietly build an emotional arc over the narrative, and leave a long-lasting impact on any viewer.
Sarah Reid
