Academic Resources: film database
Name of film: Yesterday
Topics: AIDS, International Health, Sub-Saharan Africa
Brief Summary: From http://www.hbo.com/films/yesterday/synopsis/
"Set against the awesome, harsh landscapes of South Africa, Yesterday is an eloquent, unsentimental film that quietly builds an overwhelming emotional force. The film's title protagonist is a 30-year-old mother who lives in Rooihoek, a remote village in South Africa's Zululand. Yesterday's life is not easy; there's little money, no modern conveniences, and her husband is away in Johannesburg working as a miner. But she possesses a sunny nature, and takes great joy in her seven-year-old daughter Beauty (Lihle Mvelase). The precarious balance of Yesterday's life is threatened when she is diagnosed with AIDS, and must journey afar to learn about and confront her illness. Yesterday's primary driving force for survival is her daughter, who is a year away from starting school. Yesterday herself never had the chance to go to school, and as she faces her affliction she sets her sights on a single goal: to be with Beauty on her first day of class, along with all the other proud mothers of Rooihoek.
In a statement, Nelson Mandela noted, "The medium of film is one that effectively mobilizes people. Yesterday shows the commitment of the private sector to move beyond the conventional HIV/AIDS rhetoric. We are confident that this will assist in spreading the message of prevention, caring for, and supporting those infected and affected by the pandemic and, most importantly, highlight the need to remove stigma and discrimination...."
Date of Release: 2004 (DVD Release Date: January 10, 2006)
Length: 95 minutes
Where was it produced/filmed & in what language:
Zulu
Where to get it:
Additional Comments:
This movie had a powerful effect upon my class. I paired it with a guest talk by an AIDS activist from Zimbabwe who is presently pursuing a PhD in Sociology.