Re-telling freedom in Otelo Burning: the beach, surf noir, and Bildung at the Lamontville pool

† During August 2013, Glen Thompson and I interviewed director and producer Sara Blecher and actor and waterman Sihle Xaba (who performs the role of Mandla in the film, while aspects of both Otelo and New Year's stories are loosely based on his experiences) and held a series of screenings and Q&As with audiences at the University of Cape Town, Muizenberg, and Khayelitsha. This article is informed by these discussions, edited versions of which are included in this special section. Whereas the companion piece by Thompson contextualizes the film within histories and documentaries of surfing and the beach in South Africa, this article seeks to locate it in relation to international surf fiction and film, on the one hand, and South African textual and (audio)visual culture, on the other. This work is based on the research supported in part by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (Grant Number 87809). Opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author and the NRF accepts no liability whatsoever in this regard.

Figures & data

Figure 1. Otelo Burning.

Figure 2. Otelo Burning.

Figure 3. Otelo Burning.

Figure 4. Otelo Burning.

Figure 5. Otelo Burning.

Figure 6. Otelo Burning.

Figure 7. Otelo Burning.

Figure 8. Otelo Burning.

Figure 9. Otelo Burning.

Figure 10. Otelo Burning.