Enver Samuel tells of his decades-long quest to tell stories about social justice from the apartheid era
Enver Samuel tells of his decades-long quest to tell stories about social justice from the apartheid era
In a rapidly evolving media landscape, Enver Samuel stands out as a documentary filmmaker committed to impactful storytelling. With a career that spans three decades, he has navigated the challenges and opportunities presented by shifting consumption patterns and a dedication to social justice and activism.
In this interview, Samuel shares insights on his journey from mainstream media to documentary filmmaking, the challenges of funding and the importance of engaging diverse audiences through relatable narratives.
A personal journey to documentaries
Q: What motivated your transition from mainstream media to documentary filmmaking?
Samuel: My shift came from a desire to create content that has a meaningful impact. After working on Indians can’t fly — a documentary about anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Timol who was thrown from the 10th floor of John Vorster Square police building while under interrogation in 1971 by the South African Security Police — I realised the power of storytelling to address important social issues.
Documentaries provide an opportunity to explore topics like transgenerational trauma, which are often overlooked in traditional formats. After I made it, I realised that this is my home. This is the content that I want to make.
The rest of the work that I was doing was great. It took me all over the world with travel shows and magazine shows, but never did anything to fulfil my heart. As corny as that sounds, it didn’t move me. And neither did it have any effect on the viewers in my opinion. They’d watch it and consume it, but then forget about it, because it didn’t do anything
As a documentary filmmaker you can actually move and change things, you know. So, yeah, it was a shift in my belief system. What I was doing before was paying the bills most definitely and very well, but I needed more.
Q: Some people question the focus on past events. How do you respond to that?
Samuel: I understand those concerns, but examining our history is so important to addressing current issues. Documentaries can serve as a bridge to understanding the past and its implications for the present and future. “Indians can’t fly” was about an inquest that changed the old version of history from suicide to a current version of murder.
Then I did Murder in Paris a political crime documentary that traces the motives for the assassination of anti-apartheid activist Dulcie September. The story travels from the heart of Paris in March 1988 to the pursuit of justice in 2021. Now we are petitioning to reopen the case in France, which went cold. I started to see the value of raising past events to impact the current psyche and future generations.
A child’s eye view
Q: You mentioned using a child’s perspective in your documentaries. Why is that approach significant?
Samuel: By framing narratives through a child’s perspective, we make them more relatable to a broader audience. Younger viewers often resonate with personal stories. This is very key to me. The narrative should not have a didactic approach. That’s very old school, and some people still do it. I prefer if the story unfolds like a murder mystery.
And for me, that’s kind of key. It needs to stand out a little bit more like Murder in Paris.
We as the audience are on a quest to find the killers of September, led by the investigative journalist, but I twinned it with the child’s story. So there are two narratives flowing through the documentary at the same time, criss crossing paths.
I did the same with the Truth Be Told series, a look at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission through the unsolved cases of Phila Portia Ndwandwe, Bheki Mlangeni, Ntombi Kubheka and Topsy Madaka, in which the truth has not been told, and no-one has been held accountable for their gruesome killings during apartheid.
Through the child’s eyes, the childrens’ stories cross with their parents, which makes a much more interesting linear approach to storytelling, because it disrupts it, and it’s not just the straight story or just the historical narrative. Through the child’s eyes, you get to see the past, present and future.
Q: Can you share an example of how your documentaries have sparked community action?
Samuel: One notable instance was a screening of Murder in Paris that led to a mural project of September in a Western Cape community. The film inspired viewers to reflect on its themes, resulting in a collective effort to create a public art piece. They even named the centre the Dulcie September Community Centre.
This then escalated into requests from other communities like Eldorado Park in Gauteng where young “coloured” people saw a relatable heroine who died for “them”.
The momentum grew into an online petition to reopen the case in Paris. We have almost hit our target to get the police in Paris to reopen the case.
Challenges in documentary filmmaking
Q: What are some of the challenges you face in producing impactful documentaries?
Samuel: Funding is one of the biggest challenges. Securing resources to bring these stories to life requires perseverance and creativity. This is accompanied by other issues like government support and dealing with a public broadcaster.
For instance, through the media coverage when we unveiled the mural, the Western Cape Education Department wanted to partner with us. They jumped on the bandwagon and then we recut a one and a half hour version to under 50 minutes for schools. They said: “We love this idea.”
So we did a roll-out to 20 schools where the students watched the doccie. They loved it. The WCED said they wanted to incorporate it into the school curriculum. Three years later, nothing has happened. So, you know, those are the things that you get excited about but then they just fizzle out.
Shifting media consumption
Q: You mentioned the shift in media consumption patterns. How have platforms like TikTok and podcasts changed the landscape?
Samuel: The way people consume content has transformed dramatically. Younger audiences are increasingly drawn to platforms like TikTok, Instagram and podcasts. It’s definitely something that I would like to learn about more, because I’m also old school, you know. But I recognise that there’s a need to do it.
So if I can twin them and get the expertise, I feel I could make a bigger impact. Because I’m now in my next stage of the Truth Be Told series for the impact campaign to rollout smoothly. This is where I want to explore those issues because for me, it’s not only about the broadcast, it’s what happens after the broadcast that also matters.
Q: What challenges does this present for traditional media outlets like SABC?
Samuel: The main issue is the lack of vision and the bureaucratic delays. But they still have the numbers. That’s why I gravitate towards the SABC, even though I regret every time I deal with them. You just cannot believe the dysfunction in that organisation. It’s such a pity, because it could be so cutting edge. Imagine the audience they would have if they had a better reputation for innovation.
Future projects and campaigns
Q: What are your plans for upcoming projects?
Samuel: I am currently developing an impact campaign for my documentary Murder in Paris. This campaign will include digital components and school screenings to extend the reach of the film. The goal is to create a sustained dialogue around the issues presented, rather than limiting the impact to just the broadcast. As I mentioned before it also includes a petition to reopen the case in Paris.
Q: Why is it important to think about the impact after a documentary airs?
Samuel: The broadcast is only one part of the process. We must consider how to continue the conversation and drive real change afterward and lead to action.
Addressing trauma and balancing impact
Q: How do you address transgenerational trauma in your work?
Samuel: Too many of my friends and colleagues would question me when I tell them what I’m doing. They always ask, why? Why are we always looking back and not concentrating on the future, the present? You know?
I think it’s such a mistake because when the families open the door trying to deal with their transgeneration trauma. You get a glance. You get a unique glance into how this thing cannot be brushed under the carpet. It is something to face up to and talk about.
More importantly, we must treat the families involved in these stories with respect and agency, which can complicate the process but is necessary for authenticity and to give voice to the victims.
Engaging multigenerational audiences
Q: What strategies do you use to engage a multigenerational audience?
Samuel: We prioritise relatability in our storytelling. By using narratives that reflect the experiences of children, we can connect with audiences across age groups. The positive reactions from viewers often manifest in grassroots efforts, like petitions for justice inspired by our films.
Enver Samuel is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and owner of EMS Productions who focuses on telling the lesser-known stories of unsung heroes & heroines of the struggle against apartheid. His documentary Murder in Paris was the joint winner of the best documentary award at the 2021 Durban International Film Festival, where he was also awarded the inaugural Human Rights Award. Enver’s last four documentaries tackle poignant themes that have strong social impact elements. — Documentary Africa