Wagner, Ludwig Sluyter; (2024) Queer South African Cinemas: A Critical Analysis. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This thesis aims to deconstruct and challenge the master narrative of heteronormativity still exerting power in South Africa by [re]inserting the queer subject into South African cinemas and examining the historical, social, and political systems which excised the queer in the first place. Homosexuality was illegal until South Africa’s dramatic political transformation led to a new Constitution and bill of rights in 1996, which granted ground-breaking constitutional rights to queer people. Despite this, patriarchy and homophobia still dominate values in a country where a lack of societal acceptance of sexual and gender minorities is prevalent, and sexuality remains a principal arena of political contestation. Scholarship in queer South African cinemas is barely two decades old. It supposes that, despite its film industry being one of the oldest in the world, historically, there have been very few depictions of queer sexualities on film. In a recent review of South Africa’s queer cinema history, Martin Botha claims that ‘homosexuality is almost nonexistent in South African cinema up till 1985’ (2024: xi). I oppose any heterosexist hypothesis which proposes that only films with clearly identified homosexual characters can be deemed queer. As such, my search for queer representation and its meaning in South African cinemas—predominantly during the period in which homosexuality was illegal—investigates queer sexualities and where these intersect with cultural production and, more specifically, film. In the process, I recovered and discovered queer films and histories previously hidden and, in some instances, never seen in public. My research challenges prevailing narratives of cinematic silence on queer subjects, revealing a rich tapestry of queer representations that defy conventional categorisations. This thesis not only enriches our understanding of South African cinemas but also serves as a testament to the resilience and creativity of marginalised communities in the face of adversity.

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