Black Venus

Black Venus, directed by the acclaimed French filmmaker Abdellatif Kechiche, is a 2010 historical drama that explores the life of an iconic 19th-century figure, Saartjie Baartman, portrayed by Cuban actress Yahima Torres. Set in the early 19th century, the narrative adeptly traverses through a grotesque phase of European history characterized by colonial exploitation, sexism, racism, and the ruthless subjugation of the 'exotic other'.

Saartjie Baartman, famously known as the 'Hottentot Venus', is a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa with noticeable physical differences from the typical European female body during that period. Especially, her large buttocks make her a subject of intense objectification. The film journies with Baartman as she leaves her homeland, her journey through Europe as she becomes a sideshow spectacle in the carnival circuits of London and later in Paris, and deteriorates into a subject of scientific curiosity for the prejudiced European elite.

Yahima Torres, in her debut role, delivers a harrowing and, at times, painfully graphic portrayal of Saartjie Baartman. Baartman is exploited and showcased as a sexual object, her body flaunted in front of eager spectators at freak shows, and she becomes a scientific curiosity for a society obsessed with racial supremacy. Despite the horrific circumstances, Torres excellently conveys the pure and gentle humanity of Baartman, offering a fascinating palette of grace, resilience, helplessness, and perceptible longing for home.

Andre Jacobs portrays Hendrick Cezar, an oppressive Dutch showman who parades Baartman around for spectacle for his own profit. Cezar plays a central part in Baartman's tragic trajectory, as her manager and her exploiter, masterfully presented in Jacobs' chilling performance. He exploits the curiosity of a culturally unsophisticated public, who are either disgusted or fascinated by Baartman's non-European appearance.

Olivier Gourmet gives a compelling performance as George Cuvier, a French naturalist - a figurehead for the science of the time. This scientist becomes fixated on Baartman, seeing in her physique empirical proof of his racial theories. He brings a depressing reality of intellectual prejudice, endorsing a perverse form of scientific objectification, disassociating the humanity of his subjects in the pursuit of 'rational knowledge'.

Director Kechiche, with a firm grasp on historical contexts and intricate narrative framing, cleverly critiques the voyeurism of its era, and arguably, even the present day. The film is constructed in a way that creates an uncomfortable mirror for the audience, replicating the voyeurism Baartman herself was subjected to. Some viewers may find the depictions too explicit or stretched out, but these may be conscious cinematic choices to portray the relentless nature of Baartman's suffering.

Visually, the film makes significant use of close-ups, allowing a personal and intimate perspective for the viewers, yet also accentuating the uncomfortable scrutiny Baartman had to endure. This contrast serves to underscore the unsettling objectification of her body. The cinematography presents an authentic portrayal of the era, with dimly lit rooms and crammed spaces. Baartman's isolation amidst the flashing lights and macabre fascination draws attention to her lonely plight in a hostile world.

Abdellatif Kechiche's Black Venus is an evocative trip back in time that confronts the prejudices of the past and challenges us to scrutinize our present. It is a provocative and disturbing journey, seeking to make its audience uncomfortable as an important reminder of certain unforgivable aspects of our collective history.

While Black Venus is a daunting and heart-wrenching tale, it is also an important story that needed to be told. Its intense realism makes it hard to watch at times, yet it also provokes a justified sense of outrage over the unkindness inflicted upon Saartjie Baartman. Though the film may leave a bitter aftertaste, it sparkles in its pathos and power, and most importantly, it presents an unforgettable episode from history that is a stern reminder of humanity's capacity for cruelty and inhumanity. This is indeed a film for the brave and the thoughtful, posing questions and offering realities that are as significant today as they were two centuries ago. The film cements Abdellatif Kechiche's reputation as a stunning filmmaker unafraid to delve into some of society's darkest corners.