B(l)ind The Sacrifice

Those who know their Bible may find elements of this South African tale - highly Old Testament in nature, even if it does deal with more modern issues - familiar. A scrutiny of the patriarchy, it employs elements of the tale of Isaac and his sons, although the outcome is somewhat different.

London-based writer/director Nakhane has made a name for himself as a musician but many may be familiar with from his acting days when, under the name Nakhane Touré, he took on one of the lead roles in The Wound). With B(l)ind The Sacrifice, he creates an immersive atmosphere from the start, as a family gathers round a fire at night. The mother (Nandi Nyembe) and father (Treasure Nkosi) are speaking about God and the need to obey him, even as their son (Sihle Mnqwazana) is sneaking off to drink alcohol in one of the tents.

Nakhane doesn't have to script much in the way of exchanges between father and son for us to get the picture of conflict. It's evident from his interactions with his mother, for a start. His film examines a father's dominance over his family, even when he isn't present, while also asking what happens when it is challenged or when assumptions are betrayed. There's a lot for the writer/director to pack into 20 or so minutes so some of the developments feel inevitably rather rushed but the acting is strong across the board, which helps deliver on an emotional level.

Experienced cinematographer Pierre De Villiers - who shot last year's excellent Goodbye Julia - makes the most of the flickering fire and the night in general during the film's best moments. There's ambition here that suggests this is the fragment of a feature that Nakhane has in mind. You get the feeling a longer running time would suit him, big ideas like this deserve longer to be contemplated.