Black Venus (French: Vénus noire) is a 2010 French drama film directed by Abdellatif Kechiche. It is based on the life of Sarah Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman who in the early 19th century was exhibited in Europe under the name "Hottentot Venus".[1] The film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 67th Venice International Film Festival,[2] where it was awarded the Equal Opportunity Award.[3]
| Black Venus | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Abdellatif Kechiche |
| Written by | Abdellatif Kechiche Ghalya Laroix |
| Produced by | Charles Gillibert Nathanaël Karmitz Marin Karmitz |
| Starring | Yahima Torres Olivier Gourmet |
| Cinematography | Lubomir Bakchev |
Production company | MK2 |
| Distributed by | MK2 |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 162 minutes |
| Countries | France Belgium Tunisia |
| Languages | French English Afrikaans |
Plot
Paris 1815, the Royal Academy of Medicine. "I have never seen a human head so similar to that of an ape". Standing by a moulded cast of Saartjie Baartman's body, anatomist Georges Cuvier's verdict is categorical. Seven years earlier, Saartjie left her native South Africa with her master, Caezar, to expose her caged body to the audiences of London's freak shows. Free and enslaved all at the same time, the "Hottentot Venus" became an icon in the slums, destined to be sacrificed in the pursuit of a shimmering vision of prosperity.
Cast
- Yahima Torres as Sarah Baartman
- Andre Jacobs as Caezar
- Olivier Gourmet as Réaux, le forain
- Elina Löwensohn as Jeanne
- François Marthouret as Georges Cuvier
- Jean-Christophe Bouvet as Mercailler
- Jonathan Pienaar as Alexander Dunlop
- Phillip Schurer as Peter Wageninger
- Ralph Amoussou as Harry
Reception
Black Venus holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on five reviews.[4]
