The big picture is the masculine approach, and its a burden. The so-called historical perspective that people are supposed to be honouring or seeking is a weight. And, as Palesa Nkosi so elegantly puts it, shes not an essentialist, not someone who subscribes to the definitive South African film.
Im not expecting to be the first black South African woman director of a feature, either, she cheerfully volunteers. Its an obvious question.
Nkosi is New York-trained; shes worked with Spike Lee; shes made commercials and documentaries; and is now the co-writer and director of Mamlambo, the South African film in Catalyst Films Africa Dreaming series.
It would be foolish to imagine that journalists smitten with finding an enchanting success story they can package to the world would not fall for the idea of Nkosi as icon. Shes perfect for the job not gushy, supremely detached, yet not aloof. Earthy. Dreadlocked. Poised. Opinionated. Shes just the kind of icon- in-waiting we need to boost the South African film industry abroad.
The only problem is, Nkosi doesnt want the job. And not because she worships the craft, but because as much as film is important to me, I think its also very important to have a holistic approach to ones life. I have a very working-class approach to work its just what I do. I dont eat, live, drink film.
Although Nkosi doesnt feel solicited into marketing herself as the gold at the end of the rainbow, she admits the scarcity doesnt help. It doesnt make it easier to be the only black woman making films: to be seen as the great black new South Africa hope.
She blames the lack of opportunities and the incredible racism that still exists in commercials and films made in the commercial sector for the lack of black women who want to be directors.
Her own experience in the independent sector was profound: While it may take much more time to work alone outside it, it means avoiding fighting a million battles over executing concepts presented by a white ad executive who is neither interested in nor respectful of black life.
She regards as an unfortunate offshoot the arts documentaries produced by current affairs journalists that shamelessly trade as film. Nkosi wires the right cables when she says their content is more important than the visual exploration. Her concern is that their work is not representative, that they are people coming from a similar aesthetic who have been influenced by whatever they can crib from foreign arts programmes.
Whose gaze is behind that camera? If you need a translator to tell the story its not your story. This perception that overseas broadcasters are interested in black stories has created a new wave of cultural imperialism where black people translate black experience for white people to construct.
As syrupy an observation at it is, Africa Dreaming has conceived a new vision in Nkosi. Her admiration for series producer Jeremy Nathan as a liberating force is intense: He facilitated and enabled us to have complete editorial freedom. There was no commercial tack, which allowed a new kind of story to be told without restrictions. We were a bunch of African film-makers from different countries working around the same thematic idea of love which could translate into any kind of relationship. Its been fascinating to see how each interpreted that.
Nkosi has derived a more private joy out of Mamlambo. To now, perhaps, be regarded as an African film- maker alongside other African film- makers is a peculiar, not underestimated pleasure.
People like Idrissa Ouedraogo and Haile Gerima are our fathers. Im not into north- south politics; Im just glad they were there as black African film makers to show it can be done and to inspire me. Theyre committed to letting people tell their stories.
Mamlambo pegs out the same environment. Ultimately assisted by British writer Samuel Johnson on the script, she says their extraordinary creative relationship birthed a very organic process which she embraces.
New film-makers must have the right to fail, she says: It doesnt matter if you make a crappy little film, you have to be aware that its a process. Its also good to know that in spite of the extraneous variables like racism and sexism, there are a few good people who are passionate enough about film to not be insecure about black narratives.