Actor defends controversial film despite threats
Touré has no regrets about role in movie that tells initiation story
PORT Elizabeth-raised actor and award-winning musician Nakhane Touré wants to move on, even though threats to his life continue following the release of the film Inxeba (The Wound)‚ and says people should watch the movie before judging it.
In the movie – which the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) youth wing is fighting to have banned – Touré’s character is exposed to violent homophobia in a story that is almost entirely set in and around an initiation camp.
Yesterday, Touré – real name Nakhane Mahlakahlaka – said it was draining to relive everything that had happened to him.
“I am so tired of talking about this,” he said.
“It is draining to talk about the same thing over and over.
“Yes‚ I have had to cancel some of my planned trips to the Eastern Cape and Cape Town due to the threats‚ but I have really said everything there is to be said.”
The actor plays Kwanda, a gay factory worker, who travels from the city to the rural area of his family’s origin to be circumcised in a traditional rite of passage ceremony.
Born in Alice and raised in Port Elizabeth, Touré said he had no regrets about being part of the film, because he saw it as a story that needed to be told.
“The film is very important and tells a deserving story. I don’t regret being part of the people who tell this story,” he said.
“People need to watch it [the movie] before they judge it.”
The actor, who is openly gay, revealed that he had gone through similar experiences during his initiation.
Since the trailer of the film directed and co-written by John Trengrove was released, Touré has received intimidatory messages and death threats on social media‚ with some promising to burn him alive and others saying he had sold out his culture.
“People have jumped to conclusions about a film they haven’t even seen.
“I speak as a Xhosa man who has been to initiation, and who is proud to have done so, when I say that no [ritual] secrets are revealed,” Touré said. “What is being revealed, instead, is a violent homophobia.
“Those issuing threats are nowhere to be seen when Xhosa initiates are sexually assaulted during initiation.
“Where is your anger when women are raped and murdered? The answer is, nowhere.
“Instead, you choose to attack an important and insightful film that I do not for a moment regret being part of.”
The film’s producers blasted those threatening the film and its cast and crew.
“The South African constitution not only protects individuals’ rights to freedom of speech‚ but also outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation,” producer Cait Pansegrouw said. “We view these inexcusable threats in a serious light and will be taking appropriate action against any individual who threatens violence or commits homophobic hate crimes.”
But Contralesa youth wing chairman Prince Ntsindisi Mdunyelwa said the organisation would fight to have the film banned.
“We must follow all necessary legal routes to have it banned,” he said. “We do not condone threats to any individual [but] we remain consistent with our view that this film must be banned.”
Mdunyelwa said the film undermined the principles of the ritual practices which had been carried out for generations.
“There are specific reasons why these rituals are kept secret, and having this film subvert these practices is the direct opposite of why this ritual is secret,” he said.
Although the film can be seen as a catalyst for initiating debate about the dangers associated with traditional initiation schools, he said it was not the right platform to do so and there were other ways to deal with concerns about illegal practitioners, forced circumcisions and initiate deaths.
“It [initiation] is a choice . . . If a person does not want to go, he doesn’t have to.”
The youth wing was taking its complaint to the Film and Publications Board.
Mdunyelwa said he did not have an issue with homosexuality but the organisation did not condone being gay. – Additional reporting TshisaLIVE