More than 50 years after its release, ‘House of Bondage’ remains a powerful visual record of apartheid in South Africa. The book was created by Ernest Cole, a young Black South African photographer who risked everything to share his work now, a new documentary titled “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found”, directed by Raoul Peck, exploring life and his impactful photography.
The documentary reveals the man behind the lens and how he captured the harsh realities of life under apartheid. It highlights the struggles of Black South Africans and shows how the system of oppression affected their daily lives. The film has already gained recognition, winning the L’Oril d’or prize for the best documentary at the Cannes Film Festival. It is set to open in theatres In New York on November 22 and in Los Angeles on November 29 thanks to Magnolia Pictures.
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Ernest Levi Tsoloane Cole was born in 1940 in Ersterust, Pretoria. He started his career in a Johannesburg photography studio, sweeping floors. His break came in the late 1950s when he was hired by DRUM magazine. Coles’s photography was raw and honest, documenting the brutal realities of apartheid. His work made him a target of the government for revealing the truth about systemic racism.
After being forced into exile, Cole moved to New York City in the mid- 1960s. There, he continued to photograph life in the U.S and the American South, noting the striking similarities and differences to his homeland. During this time, he published “House of Bondage”, which spoke out against apartheid. Although the book was banned in South Africa, it established Cole as one of the great photographers of his generation by the age of 27.
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An intriguing part of Cole’s story unfolds when over 60,000 negatives of his work were ironically discovered in a bank vault in Stockholm, Sweden, after his death in 1990. Filmmaker Raoul Peck believes these images were hidden away, showing a lack of recognition for Cole’s contributions to art and culture. To him, it’s essential that the film focuses on Cole’s voice and story rather than the mystery of the negatives’ disappearance.
Oscar-nominated actor LaKeith Stanfield brings Cole’s writings to life in the documentary, embodying the spirit of the photographer as he narrates his experiences. Peck selected Stanfield for his ability to capture Cole’s essence in a way that resonates with the audience.
After its premiere at Cannes, “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” has traveled to film festivals worldwide, including TIFF, the Melbourne International Film Festival, and the Busan International Film Festival. The film has been praised and was named one of DOC NYC’s best documentary features of the year, set to screen at the festival on November 18 and 20.
