Portal:African cinema/Selected film/13

John Trengrove

The Wound (Xhosa: Inxeba Xhosa pronunciation: [íŋǁeːɓa]) is a 2017 South African drama film directed by John Trengove. It was screened in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and the Panorama section of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. It was selected as the South African entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, making the December shortlist. The story tracks a closeted relationship between two men in the context of the Xhosa initiation ritual of Ulwaluko. Inspiration for The Wound came after Trengove read A Man Who is Not a Man, a novel by Thando Mgqolozana on the topic of the Xhosa initiation ceremony. Trengove wished to challenge the notion that homosexuality was a product of western culture that posed a threat to traditional African culture. The Wound received 19 awards at 44 festivals worldwide; eight South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) nominations and won five including Best Feature Film, Best Actor in a Feature Film, Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film, Best Achievement in Directing in a Feature Film, and Best Achievement in Editing in a Feature Film