Otelo Burning
Followed by a Q&A with director Sara Blecher
Set in late 1980s South Africa, Otelo Burning is a vibrant coming of age tale. When young Otelo and his friends, New Year and Ntwe, are invited to their friend Tau’s beach house, their dream of escaping their township – wracked with apartheid violence – finally seems to be possible. It is on the beach that they meet Kurt Struely, an old white man who offers to teach them to surf, which – he claims – will lead them beyond the crisp waves to fame and fortune. Teenage male rivalry, love, politics, hard choices and some beautiful surfing jostle up against one another in Blecher’s feature debut, which offers bright cinematography, a hot soundtrack, and brilliant acting.
Dir. Sara Blecher. South Africa. 2011. 96 min. Print Source: filmmaker
£10 / £9 conc / £8 memb
