FLATLAND
South Africa, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Fortuin, Faith Baloyi, Izel Bezuidenhout, De Klerk Oelofse, Brendon Daniels.
Directed by Jenna Cato Bass.
A challenging film from South Africa.
The screenplay recognises the diverse racial backgrounds in South Africa, the main action taking place in Afrikaaner territory, an acknowledgement of the British influence (police organisation as well as television soap operas), the indigenous African background.
The film focuses on the stories of two women. The first is Natalie, a young woman, brought up by her mother, fond of an easily handing horses, with the opening of the film gets married to a young policeman, Bakkies. She moves away from the ceremony to be with her horse and, later, when her husband forces himself on her on the wedding night, she flees again to the stable, encountering the pastor who did the ceremony who lectures her then takes a whip to her. She has a gun. She shoots.
The other story focuses on a policewoman, Beauty (Faith Baloyi, accomplished in her first major film role). Her former fiance rings her after 15 years in prison and she goes to meet him. He has confessed to the killing of the pastor while drunk – but really wants to return to the security of prison.
The two stories come together when Beauty visits her old police partner whose son is Bakkies. Beauty does not think that her former fiance killed the pastor and is determined to use her detective skills to find out what happened.
A major climax of the film takes place at a truck stop. Natalie and her young friend, Poppy, escape and try to find the father of Poppy’s coming child, a truck driver. The truck stop is very rough. Poppy is upset when the father of the child dances with Natalie and there is a sexual encounter. In the meantime, she is threatened by the bartender at the stop, forcing her to strip at gunpoint.
Fortunately, Beauty arrives at this moment and the film moves towards some unexpected climactic moments. Natalie confronts her husband who expresses love but is again brutal and she escapes from him, taking Beauty’s car. Beauty in the meantime had a plan to rescue her ex-fiance and leave the country with her savings in cash – but that is the car that Natalie takes. In the meantime, Poppy is rescued and declares that her ambition is to appear on television.
1. A film from South Africa? Story, drawing on the history, race issues, apartheid, races and violence? Local culture, Afrikaaner culture?
2. The title, the landscapes, the contrast with city and countryside, the visuals of the scenery, towns, truck stops, church? The police offices? The musical score?
3. Natalie’s story: her age, friendship with Poppy, memories of her mother looking after the two children, the eventual resentment that her mother was not there for her? The range of friends, love for the horse and tending, as well is confiding as if to her mother, in it? The relationship with Bakkies, policeman, courting, the wedding and the ceremony, the words of the pastor, the people celebrating?
4. Natalie, the wedding night, resisting her husband, fleeing, taking refuge with the horse? The confrontation by the Minister, his speech, getting his whip? His being shot? The husband and his covering for Natalie?
5. Billy and Beauty, 15 years in prison, his crime, bashing his brother after the taunt, Beauty watching, arresting him? After 15 years, the phone call, the situation with the dead pastor, his confessing, his drinking, wanting to go back to jail and security?
6. Beauty’s story, seeing her at the shooting range, her skills, in the office, Billy’s phone call, and her insistence on watching the episodes of the soap opera and its themes of love, divorce, reconciliation? Her driving 500 miles? Love for Billy, her work as a detective, wanting to find the truth? The visit to Billy, the visit to Jaap, memories of his son? Their previous collaboration in police work?
7. Beauty with Billy, his denials, organising his escape? Getting her cash, getting her hair done, pursuing Poppy and Natalie, building up to the shootout and the wounding of Jaap? Natalie taking her car – and the irony of taking all the money?
8. Natalie and Poppy, riding the horse? Poppy’s pregnancy, the story about Branko, his being a driver, the men at the bar, rough? The bartender and his knowing the facts, violently aggressive?
9. Natalie, her fears, Poppy and her behaviour, Branko arriving, inviting Natalie to dance, the sexual encounter and its effect on Natalie?
10. The bartender, with Poppy, forcing her to strip, the effect on her, her anger at Natalie because of Branko?
11. Beauty, control of the situation, taking the girls, exposing Bakkies?
12. Bakkies, his involvement, cover, obeying his father? With Natalie, her turning against him, his violence?
13. Poppy and her ambitions to be on television, Natalie and her fleeing (after falling from a horse and Beauty shooting it)? Billy and Beauty together?
