As a prologue four young artists take us into the ideas, emotions and dreams of the youth of contemporary Cape Town. From this entry point, the Fallist activists let us dive into the first spectacular year of the Fallist movement that changed the South African universities and society forever. The story begins with a statue of the former colonialist and Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, Cecil Rhodes, overlooking the University of Cape Town. A black student throws faeces from his Township at the statue to protest the racism and elitism still looming at the university and in South African society. A whole generation of students begin to stir. Within weeks, students of color rise to protest white supremacy at universities across the nation, including Phakamani, Mickey, Wandile and Anzio. They want to get rid of apartheid legacies once and for all, with the campaign RhodesMustFall.

It's not long before the students realize that the issue of race in South Africa is strongly interlinked with class period. Phakamani, a youth from the poorest township outside Cape Town, begins to fight for free education for everyone through #FeesMustFall. South Africa is the most unequal society in the world, and most black youth, who make up the majority of the country’s population, could never afford higher education. Now they are confronting the state itself; violent encounters with university security, police and the army descend on these impassioned youth. 

Content advisory: contains some scenes with violence and course language

BONUS FEATURE: at this year’s festival we are hosting a series of live online discussions for several of the films featured.

JOIN FELICITY HAUWERT AND JAYANI SRI GOURANGA FOR A LIVE ONLINE GROUP DISCUSSION. 

To sign-up for the 1 hour live group discussion of The Art of Fallism on Sunday November 14 at 2pm PT / 5pm ET, please click here

Felicity is in her final year of the BA Honours in Sociology program at Carleton University, researching Black aesthetics within visual and spatial politics, and their intersection with Black feminism and decolonization. She is Co-Chair of Carleton’s Sociology & Anthropology Student Association and a 3M National Student Fellow. As a photographer and writer, Felicity strives to engage the knowledge they have learned at Carleton, while centralizing collaborative community-based knowledge production and sharing in their artistic practice and work. 

Jayani is in the final year of her BA Honours Degree in Anthropology with minors in African Studies and American Sign Language at Carleton University. Jayani’s research interests include migration and diaspora studies, linguistics, and identity within aesthetics. Jayani’s Honours Research Paper focuses on South Asian beauty ideals in relation to colonialism, colorism, and the practices of skin lightening. As a student leader, Jayani is actively involved as Co-Chair of Carleton’s Sociology and Anthropology Student Association, peer mentor, student ambassador, and research assistant. 

Co-presenting Partner: Reel Causes