The River Used to be a Man (2011)

Synopsis of The River Used to be a Man

A visitor who is unexpectedly stranded in a strange land attempts to make a home for himself in this evocative drama from German filmmaker Jan Zabeil. An actor (Alexander Fehling) is traveling through South Africa and as he makes his way through a barren landscape, he meets an aging fisherman (Sariqo Sakega) and offers him money to take him down the river. The fisherman accepts, though he doesn't understand much of what his patron has to say and is baffled by the notion of anyone making their living as an actor. After spending the night in the wild, the actor is eager to return to civilization, but he soon discovers the old fisherman has died, leaving him lost in a place that's unknown to him. After a long search, the actor find the village where the fisherman lived, and returns the body to his family; he's fascinated by their community and tries to make a place for himself within it, though there's a tremendous emotional distance between himself and the villagers. The River Used To Be a Man was an official selection at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Director(s):

Jan Zabeil

Writer(s):

Alexander Fehling, Jan Zabeil

Producer(s):

Jan Zabeil, Benny Drechsel, Karsten Stoter

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