Proteus

Jun 7 2004 Not Rated 1h 37m
Drama, Romance

An exquisite period piece that skillfully explores the intersections of sex, race and politics takes place in 18th century South Africa, telling the passionate (true) story of two men caught in an unjust system rife with racism, homophobia and cruelty.

Plot

A recreation of the decade-long love affair in the 18th century in a Cape Town penal colony on Robben Island. The two lovers were a Dutch sailor imprisoned there for sodomy and a young Khoi herder. The Khoi were part of the Hottentot tribal group and as such were the untouchables of that time. The two were placed on trial and this love affair and the legal battles are the grist of Greyson and Lewis' film based partly on court transcripts from the time. In 1700s South Africa, sodomy was a crime deemed worse than murder, and the fact that these two young men had indulged in it was also complicated by the fact that this was an interracial love affair.

Written by

John Greyson, Jack Lewis

Directed by

John Greyson, Jack Lewis

Production Countries

Canada, South Africa

Production Companies

Pluck Productions

Languages

Nederlands, Afrikaans, English

Awards

1 nomination

Scores
# of Votes
728
Average Rating
6.4 out of 10
Metascore
47
Popularity
NA