We Come In Peace, They Said

Cause of Death
Screenplay: Jyoti Mistry, Napo Masheane; Editing: Nikki Comninos. 2020, 20 min

When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Black Man
Screenplay: Jyoti Mistry, Kgafela oa Magogodi; Cinematography: Craig Maarschalk; Editing: Nikki Comninos; Cast: Ben Tjibe, Kgafela oa Magogodi. 2017, 10 min

Loving in Between
Screenplay: Jyoti Mistry, Napo Masheane, Kgafela oa Magogodi; Editing: Nikki Comninos; Music: Nishlyn Ramanna. 2023, 18 min

The title of the trilogy expresses skepticism. And this skepticism is justified given the source material and its authors. Jyoti Mistry overlays footage from colonial archives, travel and amateur films with animation and spoken word, shaping poetic and striking commentary on power structures, exploitation, and historical and contemporary attributions. In Cause of Death, she sheds light on femicides and the multifaceted discrimination against women; in When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Black Man, she explores black masculinity and racist violence; and in Loving in Between, she addresses societal norms and taboos related to queer sexuality and love. Mistry edits and deconstructs moving images from nearly the entire 20th century, always sharp and meticulously composed, open in approach, varied in tone, but unequivocal in stance. An extraordinary archive universe. (Daniel Hadenius-Ebner)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum