The Swenkas

Reminiscent of the beginning of Tarantino’s RESERVOIR DOGS, a group of groomed men in suits approach the camera in slow motion. Just these aren’t men to be afraid of: They are »Swenkas«, members of a group of Zulu men who hold day jobs as miners or construction workers in Johannesburg. But come Saturday night, they change appearance, showing off their all new suit and fashionable accessories in their very own choreographies. The most flamboyant performance wins a cash prize, or, on some special occasions, a cow. Director Jeppe Rønde’s carefully composed images present a genuine African subculture, far from the clichés of the continent of catastrophes.