Nkosinathi Biko has marked the 20th anniversary of his fathers death with a TV documentary. Andrew Worsdale reports
Twenty years ago, when Steve Bantu Biko died at the hands of security police in Port Elizabeth, his son Nkosinathi was six years old. He says hell never forget the moment he learnt of his fathers death. I remember being told by a friend of my father, the familys raucous uncle. We were on the way to King Williams Town station to pick up my mother and he broke the news in his usual boisterous way with a couple of pats on the shoulder.
This Sunday, on the anniversary of the black consciousness leaders death, SABC1 screens Steve Bantu Biko: Beacon of Hope at 6pm, a 52-minute documentary produced by Nkosinathi and his friend Nhlanhla Dakile. Both in their mid-20s, they have known each other for nine years, having met at the private school St Andrews in Grahamstown, where both did their post-matric.
The young Biko who bears a strong resemblance to his late father recalls them meeting. We were worlds apart. Id just graduated from circumcision school in the Transkei and Nhlanhla would call me Tanko [big brother].
They laugh and Nkosinathi tells me that the reason they immediately became friends is that Nhlanhla likes challenging authority. and with everyone at the school being so stand-offish to me, it was only natural wed be buddies. Evidently during production there were lots of jokes about X (Xhosa) marking the spot with Z (Zulu) saying it all.
They shared a house in Johannesburg for a while and co-produced the highly-acclaimed talk show Born at the Right Time for Bop- TV, which focused on young black achievers. But a project about his father has been a natural passion for Nkosinathi for many years. Every time he meets people they ask him about his father, or tell him how much they respect his mother, says Nhlanhla.
The film doesnt concentrate on the leaders death. It consists of interviews with family members and friends Khaya his brother, Bandi the sister and Steves wife Ntsiki Biko who speaks publicly about him for the first time. In addition they use extracts from a rare television interview that they managed to get from WTNs archives. The film is interwoven throughout with a haunting score by Moses Molelekwa and poetry by Don Mattera.
Nkosinathi explains the documentarys approach, referring to his father as if he werent a blood relative just an intimate colleague. Were really trying to give people who never knew Steve an idea of the kind of person he was; looking at the influence he had over the community not only as a political figure but also Steve the neighbour, the father, the husband. Its a film about a friend, a celebration of life … heres a person who died at 31 completely embodying the values he espoused.
When I ask him if he believes that he is the only person who couldve made such a film he replies wryly: Well, I sit in a position where Ive been exposed to so many stories so I couldnt be easily replaceable. As for others telling his fathers story, he is warmly diplomatic without being pompous about Donald Woodss and Richard Attenboroughs Cry Freedom. You can only depict a story in a limited number of ways. I mean we ourselves lost things in this documentary, having to cut 22 hours of material down to 52 minutes..
Partly funded by a grant from the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, the documentary has been licensed to the SABC for two screenings. From all accounts the SABC is so happy with the end-product its considering the option of buying a third flighting. The licensing agreement means that the rights to the project rest with the family, and if its syndicated around the world any profits will return to their rightful place. So far Holland, the United Kingdom and Black Entertainment Network in the United States have expressed strong interest.
What is most inspiring about this venture is the two twentysomething producers themselves. Nhlanhla says the age thing is always a problem when meeting broadcasters or financiers. But the two are so clearly filled with passion for the project. Were really excited about the movie. Its got nothing to do with how much money were going to make or anything like that. Nkosinathi agrees. His production company is called Quattro, because I dabble in film, journalism, music and writing and I didnt want one of those false ethnic- sounding names doing the rounds.
— Steve Bantu Biko: Beacon of Hope will be screened on SABC1 on Friday, September 12 at 6pm. Steve Biko: Journey of the Spirit, on SABC1 on September 21 at 6pm, is by Matsamela Manaka and focuses on the leaders involvement in the community