Restitution Bioscope

17 February – 17 March 2018

The Collections, Research and Documentation Department hosted a Restitution Bioscope series in February and March. The movies chosen were themed around restitution / return and the loss of leaving District Six, as well as the experiences of communities such as Claremont. A discussion with the audience followed each screening. After Time to Return Home we spoke about the difficult memories of District Six and how nostalgia sometimes silences these histories. We also spoke about the collective trauma of removals and how that has filtered down to younger generations. In Langa we met residents of Tennant and Pepper Streets who were thrilled to see depictions of old Cape Town in Lala Sana and identified with the hopes and dreams of Ebrahim Murat and Dan Ndzabela in The Return. Valhalla Park hosted an open mic session and Last Supper in Horstley Street. Former residents reminded us that many District Sixers now reside in Paulus Crescent and encouraged us to continue the film screenings!

The discussions were led by community activists Denver Plaatjies, Thulani Nxumalo, Irma Titus and Deirdré Jantjies, who in their work encourage active citizenship and look to their communities to be drivers of change.

Our next screening is Siona O’Connell’s An Impossible Return which looks at Cape Town after forced removals and the progress of the restitution process.

Venue: Lydia Williams Centre for Memory, Chapel Street

Time: 7.30pm

Date: Saturday, 17 March 2018

Watch the trailer here:

If you would like us to organise a screening in your community please contact Dean Jates at dean@districtsix.co.za or call 021 466 7200. We have a range of films available for viewing.

Movies screened:

Time to Return Home, Directors: Diana Manfredi, Arianna Lissoni (2005)

Lala Sana, Director: Ken Law (1963)

The Return, District Six Museum (2006)

Last Supper in Horstley Street, Director: Lindy Wilson (1983)

An Impossible Return, Director: Siona O’Connell (2015)