District Six Rising from the Dust
The memory of District Six is as iconic to Cape Town as Table Mountain. It is remembered as a cosmopolitan neighbourhood, and a hub of art, music and culture.
In 1960 District Six was declared a whites only area. This declaration was formalised with the Apartheid Group Areas Act of 1966 advocating the “Divide and Rule” ideology.
It is estimated that approximately 60 000 t0 80 000 people were forcibly removed from District Six.
In 2013, the filmmakers returns to a fledgling community, who have been restituted their homes.
This is where the film's journey begins as the director, navigates the pain of her ancestral legacy as well as the challenges of the present District Six, documented by her husband. The neighbourhood is surrounded by gangs, prostitutes and vagrants. Their home is burgled and the filmmakers continue to stay in District Six, to finish the documentary from an “insiders view looking out”, whilst also investigating the ownership of the vacant land. The film embraces a verite style in certain scenarios, as well as an investigative approach, as the personal and political merge. It is essentially an autobiographical film.
The documentary screened at festivals in 2018, however only reached its final conclusion in 2019.
It is a deeply personal story, which examines the microcosm within the macrocosm and the legacy of intergenerational pain and dispossession of wealth. It also reflects on SA’s current restitution process. The film is visually and aurally rich with moments of “fly on the wall’ perspective as well as access to nuanced moments of the Cape community, featuring clips from “District Six The Musical”.
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Weaam WilliamsDirectorHip-Hop Revolution, Khoe-Story Docu Trilogy
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:1 hour 2 minutes
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Completion Date:August 5, 2019
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Production Budget:120,000 USD
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Country of Origin:South Africa
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Country of Filming:South Africa
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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First Cut Screening at Scandanavian International Film Festival 2018Helsinki
Finland
October 7, 2018
World Premiere
Award of Excellence -
Cape Town
South Africa
October 18, 2018
International
Special Mention - Best SA Documentary -
Garden Route International Film FestivalKnysna
South Africa
November 1, 2019 -
Final Cut (2020) Florence Film AwardsFlorence
Italy
February 10, 2021
Winner Best Original Story -
South African Australian Film FestivalSydney
Australia
May 15, 2021
Australian
Official Selection - no competition -
Kalahari Film FestivalBengal
India
May 15, 2021
Indiana
Official Selection -
Beyond the Curve International Film FEStival
France
June 25, 2021
Winner Best Documentary
Weaam Williams, is a Muslim woman screen-writer, actress, director and poet. She has found her voice as a woman and activist using cinema. She is the owner of Tribal Alchemy Productions, an independent production company which specialises in video and photographic productions. Her most recent short film "Two Hues" won Best Short Film at Beyond the Curve International Film Festival 2021 and is currently nominated for "Best Lead Actress in a short" and "Best Director of a short" at North Europe Film Festival - London.
“Weaam Williams can be described through her work as a story-teller with a conscience,” (City Press).
She, is a multi-disciplinary artist who works with poetry, music and film.
Her documentary directorial debut, Hip-Hop Revolution, had its international Premiere at Silverdocs in 2007. It won the Best Edited Film Award at NYC Reel Sisters Film Festival in 2008, and has been broadcasted in 28 countries.
In 2009-2013 she undertook an independent filmmaking project for Southern African distribution.
“A Khoe Story Docu-Tirlogy”, is a three part documentary series about the language, genocide and remaining culture of South Africa’s indigenous people.
Weaam undertook, District Six Rising from the Dust in 2013, after moving into District Six. The making of this film was a six year long journey of understanding the complex politics of the valuable stretch of land alongside the beauteous city Cape Town's central business district. She is currently working on another feature doc "The Rise" which showcased at the Doc Corner in Cannes 2019. Two Hues is also being developed into a feature film with development funded by the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa.
This film is the first undertaking which examines my family story and was an organic unfolding process. After moving into District Six, the story and narrative of the place became alive. I am now inextricably linked to the land, and the cause for District Six to be returned to the people.