Contemporary South African Western film, Flatland, tackles complex themes of race, social class, and gender

In the heart of South Africa's semi-desert region, the Karoo, lies the setting for the contemporary drama, 'Flatland'. Directed and co-written by Jenna Bass, this film is a unique blend of the Western genre and South African culture, questioning issues of race, class, and gender while delving into the psyche of the country.

At the centre of the story are three women: Natalie Jonkers, a young, just-married woman played by Nicole Fortuin, who is the daughter of a black woman once employed by Poppie's white family; Beauty Cuba, a middle-aged policewoman portrayed by Faith Baloyi; and Poppie, a pregnant childhood friend of Natalie, played by Izel Bezuidenhout.

'Flatland' is a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be a woman today, not just in South Africa, but in the world at large. The film raises the question, 'What is a woman?', a question that has become equally indefinable in today's society. The necessity for women's solidarity is as great as ever, and 'Flatland' serves as a poignant reminder of this.

The film, produced by South Africa's Proper Film, Luxembourg's Deal Productions, and Germany's In Good Company, had its North American premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema selection of the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and opened the Panorama section of the Berlinale Film Festival in February 2019. In South Africa, it was distributed by Indigenous Film Distribution.

Jenna Bass, a South African writer, filmmaker, and former magician, has previously directed and co-written films such as 'The Tunnel', 'Love The One You Love', 'High Fantasy', and 'Rafiki'. With 'Flatland', her third feature film as a director and writer, Bass aimed to set a Western narrative in South Africa's heartland, recognizing that she couldn't identify with traditional Westerns and wanting to create a Western that was more inclusive of women.

The film's characters may seem strange, but they are no more so than the picture-perfect images often presented in South African national cinema. 'Flatland' is a strange film about strange people and places, yet it can't begin to encapsulate the whole, complicated country. It's a film that invites viewers to question, to ponder, and to engage with the complexities of South African society.