The documentary about inequalities of life in Swaziland, Without The King, has been causing controversy in the kingdom ever since pirated DVD copies began circulating earlier this year.
The documentary features King Mswati III, his first daughter ‘Pashu’ and ordinary poor people in Swaziland. It contrasts the rich in Swaziland (exemplified by the king who has several palaces) and poor people (who don’t know where their next meal is coming from).
Some people in Swaziland have questioned the motives of the director in making the documentary, in which its director Michael Skolnik is thought to have had unprecedented access to the king. It turns out that this may not have been quite the case.
In an conversation with Noah Forrest on the Movie City News website (21 May 2008), Skolnik gives some background to how the documentary was made.
(At the end of this post there is also news about another review of the documentary – this one made from within Swaziland.)
Here is an extract from the Skolnik interview.
Noah Forrest: To start with, can you tell us a little bit about how you got the idea for this film? Where was your motivation to make a film about Swaziland?
Michael Skolnik: In 1997, as a college Sophomore at UCLA, I decided to study Zulu -- had always had an interest of visiting South Africa and figured if I was gonna go there, I should learn the language of the people. My professor turned out to be Swazi and was an advisor to King Mswati III. Over the years, I got the chance to meet the King, and when he learned that I made movies, asked me to make a movie about his life. I happily agreed, as I thought he would make an amazing character in a film.
When I got to Swaziland to film for the first time (I had been there four times previous) -- the access I thought I had to the King was quite different than what I was getting. On day 4, after waiting every night for hours to see the King at one of his many palaces, I ran into his daughter, the Princess, in the parking lot.
I had met her in LA when she was visiting with her father years ago, but now she was a woman. I asked her if we could film her and she agreed. From there, the film began.
NF: How were you able to gain such unbelievable access to King Mswati, his wife and his daughter Pashu?
MS: As I have known the King and his family for many years, the King agreed to give me unprecedented access to their lives. However, when I got to Swaziland for the first time to film, the access was quite different than what had been promised to me.
So, I had to make a number of adjustments the first trip, the biggest being focusing on the Princess' life more, as I had much more access to her daily activities.
NF: I was surprised by how well-spoken and intelligent a lot of the folks in this impoverished nation were. Is the education system any good there or did you just pick the most well-read people you could for interviews?
MS: The education system in Swaziland is good. However, the young people who I interviewed all have various degrees of education. But, even thought some had a lack of formal schooling, passion will go a long way…especially when you are in a fight for your life.
NF: I was fascinated by the Princess (Pashu) and how naïve she was. She seems to disagree with a lot of her father's actions, but still reluctantly defends him. I found her story to be an interesting parable for a lot of people in the world who know of injustices being done but choose to ignore it. Was that your intention?
MS: I am happy that everyone sees Pashu in a different way -- I never really had any intention of showing her as anything but the person she truly is. I think that the film depicts her truthfully and honestly -- someone who is conflicted and struggles to come to terms with some discoveries she is making as a person. That is human and that is something many of us can relate to.
NF: I imagine you might not be welcomed back to Swaziland anytime soon; do you know if any of the royal family has seen the film? If so, what were their reactions to it?
MS: I showed the film to the Princess. I will respect her and not talk too much about her reaction or the conversation we had after the screening. I do not know if any other family members have seen the film -- I hope so.
I have been told that the film has been banned in Swaziland and that anyone in possession of the film can be charged with sedition.
Skolnik is also interviewed in an audio clip on the Toronto Screen Shots website here.
Meanwhile, Arnau van Wyngaard, who has been doing missionary work in Swaziland for more than 23 years, has written a review of Without The King on his own blogsite. One of the points he makes that I have not seen made before is that many groups within Swazi society were not included in the documentary, such as ‘the business people earning good salaries and living a stable life and the traditionalists in the rural areas, staunch supporters of the monarchy and who are mostly subsistence farmers (the people whom I work with mostly in our church.)’.
You can read the full review and the comments from readers it has attracted by clicking here.
See also
SWAZI ‘REVOLUTION’ DOCO ATTACKED
No comments:
Post a Comment