JESUS AND THE GIANT
South Africa 2008 – 12 minutes
Director: Akin Omotoso
Producer: Akin Omotoso, Robbie Thorpe, Kgomotso Matsunyane
Script: Aryan Kaganof
Photography: Eran Tahor
Music & sound design: Warrick Sony
Editor: Aryan Kaganof
Cast: Mandisa Bardill, Sonni Chidiebere Ochuba, Lesego Mabilo
A raped and beaten woman called Mary arrives at Jesus’ door. Her attacker is her lover, the Giant. Jesus believes in peace but realizes that something has to be done. Grabbing a bass ball bat she goes to see the Giant. He is polite and full of concern for Mary. He explains to Jesus that to maintain dominance, women have to be beaten by their men. Abandoning peace for a moment, Jesus wallops the Giant so hard that he will never stand up again. A new balance in place, she can return to a being of peace. An unlikely collaboration of Aryan Kaganof (script and editing) – prolific high priest of transgression and Akin Omotoso (director) – Nigerian-born soap star, producer, director (God is African) and intellectual. Together they bring a mutual abhorrence of rape, handled before by both of them in Nice to Meet You, Please don’t Rape Me (Kaganof) and The Kiss of Milk (Omotoso) and a Jungian playfulness with archetypal characters. Jesus is transformed into a black woman – like her historical counterpart she brings peace but in this scripture she can only do so by violence. Mary, the virgin raped by Father God, here the Giant, is a catalyst for the confrontation between the Princess of Peace and the Angry Old Codger with a Coke Habit who she overcomes. Shot entirely on a digital stills camera (except for the final shot), 7000 stills are stitched together in a montage that is as audacious as the concept.
text: trevor steele-taylor
October 16th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
I want to get in touch with the director, Akin Omotoso about JESUS AND THE GIANT, particpating in an international short film festival organised by The Leiden University international Students network Cinema Club.
Thank you