Back Home, roots of a new South Africa
Today, more than one decade after the end of apartheid, the informative documentary ‘Back Home’ tells the story of three ex-inmates of Robben Island, Apartheid’s high-security prison, who returned to their island of fate. ‘Back Home’ is an unusual reflection of contemporary history, an emotional odyssey through the past and a behind-the-scenes-investigation, narrated by the victims and their families. ‘Back Home’ is the story of three men who came back to live and to work on the island which once changed their lives as well as the history of South Africa.
Social Interest
Even before the most well-know prisoner Nelson Mandela arrived, Tata Sindile Mngqibisa was one of the first to be deported to the island in 1963. Sindile was forced to build the prison with his own hands. For 15 years he was to fight for his survival on Robben Island and tells us about it in ‘Back Home’. A fellow prisoner of Sindile, Tata Elias Mzamo, returns to the Island every morning. He remembers the brutal treatment of prisoners and tells us about their survival strategies. Vusumzi Mcongo was jailed in 1978. Today he lives, together with his family, in the little village on the island which used to be the home of the warders.
Historical Interest
Since the end of the 17th century, Robben Island, the small island of the coast of Cape Town, has been used to isolate certain people ? mainly prisoners ? and amongst its first permanent inhabitants were political leaders from various Dutch colonies, including Indonesia. From 1836 to 1931 the island was used as a leper colony and in the 20th century it was declared a high-security prison by the apartheid regime. Well-known prisoners were Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, and Robert Sobukwe. During the time that the island was a prison, security was very tight and its regime very harsh.
Current Relevance
Today Robben Island is a popular tourist destination and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. Robben Island is a place of pain and suffering as well as a place of rememberance. ‘Back Home, roots of a new South Africa’ tells the story of men who, despite the brutal treatment, were willing to hold on to an idea that would eventually change their countries history. Robben Island Museum (RIM) operates as a site and living museum.
Production Background
Shooting took place in Cape Town and on Robben Island in April 2003. The mixed German and South African crew worked and lived on Robben Island for 6 days, and another week in Cape Town. The documentary has been shot with a SONY DVW790, Betacam Digital, in wide-format (16:9). A helicopter was used for shooting the beautifull scenery above the mainland. Postproduction took place at Crew 4 You’s facilities in Cologne, Germany. Pictures have been processed uncompressed by Discreet edit. Colour-matching was done with combustion. Music has been imported in the sound studio Whitehouse in Cologne, and dubbing was arranged by Dave King.
In Memoriam
Sindile Mngqibisa, the main protagonist, used to be a prisoner who did not want to put up with the warders, and was therefore constantly beaten up and abased by them for 15 long years. He was the one whose will could never be broken. One can still feel this, watching the movie – in his friend’s and his son Sipho’s narrations but also in his own statements. Sindile Mngqibisa died two weeks after the shooting.