Documentary Screenings: Punk In Africa

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Three Chords, Three Countries, One Revolution.

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Punk In Africa is a feature length documentary about the punk scene in South Africa. It will be shown in various film festivals around the world. Read on for more information on how punk in South Africa developed and how the producers have captured the development of punk music on film. 

In 1976, a new revolution was born in cities around South Africa while the Soweto Uprising was transforming the anti-Apartheid struggle into a more armed stance. Punk rock was inspired from abroad but exploded into a country where the Rolling Stones were banned from the radio. Bands such as Wild Youth, Gay Marines and National Wake rocked the calm in South African society and created various challenges such as censorship and introducing new lifestyles. The melody of the movie is one of reflective humanity. There are people in the movie with fears, resolution, sorrow and joy who communicate to you as the images flicker across the screen. 

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Punk acts as a lever for political change and the need for political change powers the joy of the music. 

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Producers Deon Maas and Keith Jones’ fascinating accounts capture the development of what turned into a second front in the battle against the Apartheid State. They also look at punk music in Zimbabwe and Mozambique and how this music is received in society today. 

The producers of this documentary Punk In Africa conducted their research on four countries; South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Kenya. They collected audio material from interviews with notable figures from different eras of the development of punk rock and similar sub-cultures in Southern Africa. The finished product was completed in summer 2011.

The documentary is structured into four sections:

1. The origins and early history of punk in 1970s.
2. Punk and the political struggle in 1976-1990.
3. The international outreach in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
4. The music scene in South Africa at present.

The film Punk In Africa shows punk as more of a continuum, taking the audience from National Wake’s chaotic danceability  to Hog Hoggidy Hog and Fuzigish with a fusion of horn playing, African jazz influence, ska and reggae traditions. 

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Check out this link for more information on Punk In Africa.

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Punk In Africa is being shown at four different film festivals:

50th New York Festival

3 October: Francesca Beale Theater, New York,USA

22nd FILM FRA SOR / FILMS FROM THE SOUTH FESTIVAL

6 October: Lillebul
7 October: Lillebul
10 October: Tancred, Oslo, Norway

28th WARSAW INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

13 October: Kinoteka 2
14 October: Kinoteka 2
19 October: Kinoteka 2, Warsaw, Poland

19th AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL

19 October: Austin Convention Center Screen 2
24 October:Texas Spirit Theatre, Austin, TX USA

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Explore the music from this soundcloud file Punk In Africa featuring the Roots of South African Punk. 

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