The South African film 1960 tells the story of a missing policeman’s remains that are found in Sharpeville 59 years after his disappearance.
The film, directed by Michael Mutombo and King Shaft, screened at the Neelsie Cinema on 11 and 14 October as part of the 2022 Toyota US Woordfees. 1960 was first screened for audiences at the 43rd Durban International Film Festival in July.
1960 was screened at the Neelsie Cinema on 11 and 14 October as part of the 2022 Toyota US Woordfees. PHOTO: Sourced/Woordfees
The story is told through the eyes of Lindi Hlongwane (played by Ivy Nkutha), a retired singer that draws a resemblance to Miriam Makeba. She details the negative impact Constable Kobus Bernard (Clyde Berning), the dead policeman, had on her young life.
Lindi is determined to share her recollection of Bernard’s disappearance to Detective Kuda Maseko (Anele Matoti), the lead detective on the case.
A tale of history
The storytelling used in the film consists of a retired Lindi recounting her days as a young singer.
The film has two distinct tones: The scenes set in the year 1960 are portrayed as flashbacks. These scenes play out like a theatre-produced drama film, with songs being performed throughout.
The scenes from 2019, where Lindi tells the story of how she met Bernard, are more characteristic of a documentary.
1960 is a film centred around Lindi Hlongwane’s (Ivy Nkutha) youth, as she deals with loss and trauma. PHOTO: Liam Abercrombie
The film depicts life for black people under the apartheid regime.
The victims behind the Sharpeville massacre are humanised, and the emotive storytelling draws the viewer into a film filled with love, sadness and death.
There is also a clear focus on creating awareness amongst modern day youth, about the effect that the Sharpeville massacre and apartheid had, and continues to have, on people of colour.
This is particularly shown at the end of the film in a conversation between Lindi and Detective Maseko.
“Talking with you has made me realise that even though I may know the facts about my country’s history, I never really allowed it to penetrate my heart,” the detective tells Lindi. The latter then poignantly responds: “Oh, my son, there are wounds inside you that you can’t even see”.