Kind of Unexpected
Coming of Age (2015, 60'), Teboho Edkins
It is not easy to talk about Teboho Edkins’ 2015 documentary, Coming of Age because almost nothing happens in it. And the little that does happen does it so gently you have to stay almost breathless to take notice. Teenage girls go to school and giggle shyly, boys herd sheep and dream about having at least a hundred of them, plus ten cows, and maybe a horse. Instead of the new iPhone XS. Kind of unexpected. Also, the film is set at such a remote and hidden place, in the far-away Kingdom of Lesotho; you have to open Google Maps to make sure it is not a fictional setting from Middle-earth in Lord of the Rings, which it will still likely remind you of.
Lesotho, once a home to the white African-American director, who says he admires it for the peace and harmony of the landscape and the people exude, does have a line of other fascinating features, starting with the fact that even its lowest point is over a thousand meters above sea level. It is also one of the poorest countries in the world. Almost enough to go there to shoot, right? No wars, though; again, something slightly unexpected. The little they do have there comes mostly from agriculture and high-mountain livestock: sheep.
At one eventful point of the film, a sheep is getting butchered by the father of two boys the director follows from a safe distance with his fly-on-the-wall camera technique. The father gives instructions on how to let it die slowly and deal with the innards, which should result in better tasting meat. An act of passing down knowledge that has probably not changed much in the last ten thousand years. A necessary sacrifice and critical know-how that kept the world a sustainable place until, well, not too long ago. Until mankind started overruling nature; before technology ruled mankind and capitalism let die millions of hunger while overproducing food and overkilling animals. Until we came of age.
It would be nice to know that these boys could grow old like this, have their hundred sheep and keep the simplicity of this lifestyle, which would mean humanity still exists even at least a generation ahead. Most likely, they won’t, because they have to go to school. Just like the girls. Especially the one that leaves her best friend in the village they grew up in together because she wants to become a psychologist to figure out why murderers kill. Also, to give a more concrete argument: to make a lot of money. The fly-on-the-wall thing fails with them, their innocence is lost and not only because they become aware of the camera. Their beauty, however, along with the utmost purity of this “poor” country are fortunately also captured forever. Well, at least until you can watch this film — an unexpectedly delicate piece of work.
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