Documentary Films - Competition 2005 / The Swenkas / Denmark 2004
Every Saturday evening several Johannesburg workers of the Zulu tribe doff their dusty gear and don expensive suits. The most elegant looking Swenka becomes the winner of an unusual competition. This lyrical documentary with elements of fiction (e.g. the charismatic narrator) is an engaging spectacle shot in Cinemascope.
In talented Danish director Jeppe Rønde’s new film he sets out for the South African Republic to investigate a group of fascinating dudes from the Zulu tribe who call themselves Swenkas. Each Saturday evening, exhausted by labour yet still in a good mood, the workers doff their dusty gear and don Pierre Cardin and Carducci suits. The most elegant Swenka becomes the winner of an unusual competition. This strutting of solicitously maintained suits typifies a life philosophy based on cleanliness of body and soul, on honour and respect towards others and oneself. Rønde’s film focuses on 31-year-old Sabel who is considering whether or not to follow in the footsteps of his recently deceased father, the respected leader of the group, or to quit the Swenkas. Shot in Cinemascope, this lyrical film expresses the power of hope as an inexhaustible source of life energy, and is framed by the voice of a charismatic narrator, which lends it an almost mythical dimension.
72 min / Color, 35 mm
Director Jeppe Rønde
/ Screenplay Jeppe Rønde, Kim Leona
/ Dir. of Photography Lars Skree, Sebastian Vinterø, Nic Hofmeyr
/ Music Povl Kristian
/ Editor Olivier Bugge Coutté
/ Producer Rasmus Thorsen, Anne Diemer
/ Production Cosmo Film A/S
/ Contact Danish Film Institute, First Hand Films GmbH
Jeppe Rønde (b. 1973) is a director, cameraman, and composer of film music. He graduated in film science and art history from the University of Copenhagen, and has directed the documentary shorts Dancing in the Midst of War, Children of Grief and Son. In 2003 he shot the feature-length doc Jerusalem, My Love, which was shown in the documentary competition last year at Karlovy Vary. This work brought him several festival prizes, including the Audience Award at Nordisk Panorama 2004 and the Talent Dove at the International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film.
Danish Film Institute
Gothersgade 55, 1123, Copenhagen
Denmark
Phone: +45 337 434 00
Fax: +45 337 434 01
E-mail: [email protected]
First Hand Films GmbH
Neunbrunnenstraße 50, CH - 8050, Zürich
Switzerland
Phone: +41 443 122 060
Fax: +41 443 122 080
E-mail: [email protected]
Jeppe Rønde
Film Director
Hanne Skjodt
Film Institution Rep.
Christian Juhl Lemche
Film Institution Rep.
First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.
