
AnyonewhogrowsupinSandtonspendsalotoftimehangingoutatpoolsanddrug-filledparties–forthispartofJohannesburgistherichestspotinthewholeofAfrica.NecktieYouthportraysthisfirstpost-apartheidgildedyouthinstrikingblack-and-white.Softcoloursarereservedfortheirchildhoodmemoriesoftheearlyyearsoftherainbownation.White19-year-oldEmilydidnotunderstandthecodesoftheirsetandcouldnottakethepaceoftheever-changing,fleetingliaisons,saysthesupercool,blackandprivilegedSeptemberwhenhetriestoexplaintoaTVreporterwhyEmilyhungherselfinherparents’garden.Sheevenpositionedhercamerainsuchawaythathersuicidecouldbestreamedlive.<br/> Inhisfilm–inwhichhealsoplaysaleadingrole–filmmakerandmultimediaartistSibsShongwe-LaMerportraysaworldinSouthAfricaheknowslikethebackofhishand,aworldwhereMandelaisnowonlyagold-framedicon.Intoday’sJohannesburgthisiconcollideswithreality:itisnolongeraquestionoftheconflictbetweenblackandwhite,insteadconfrontationplotsarapidzigzagcourse,mouldingthedreamsandexcessesofyoungpeopleofeverycolour.berlinale2015
