Hector Acebes’s black-and-white portraits were taken at a time when white ex-pats discouraged contact with black cultures. ‘I was there because I was fascinated by the Africans, so I spent most of my time with them, which annoyed the whites. But I didn’t care,” he recalls.
The South American often used pranks to break the ice with communities wary of his attentions. A spring snake in a can was a popular trick. He would struggle with the lid, until a bystander offered to help. The snake would leap from the can and the crowd would scatter, only to return laughing.
His fascination and ease of communication is evident in this stunning documentary of past and disappearing cultures in Africa. It features recently rediscovered images from his travels. It is a visual feast in a wonderful coffee-table documentary.