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International Films

This Is National Wake

United States, 2022, 66 min

Director:

Mirissa Neff

Language & Subtitles:

English; subtitles in Hebrew

Producers:
Mirissa Neff, Joshua Jelly-Schapiro

Production:

Festivals:

Sheffield DocFest, Dokufest, Doc'n Roll, Trinidad+Tobago, Portland, Accessible, Wake Forest

Screenings:

Wed. 7.12 | 16:00 | Cinematheque 2

Sat. 3.12 | 13:30 | Cinematheque 2

"National Wake" was a wild and boundless punk rock band that came up precisely in the heart of the fascist apartheid regime of the 1970’s in South Africa. In the reality of racial segregation by law between blacks and whites, a young Jew teamed up with two black brothers to form a band whose very existence, not to mention the songs and playing ability of its members, broke quite a few laws.

The story of the band, which was documented during its years of activity in amazing old videos on film taken by the band members themselves, reveals the ability of music to reflect a historical moment while simultaneously offering a subversive utopian alternative. The legacy of South Africa's violent regime also includes the musical rebellion that managed to crack it.

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