Directed by Raoul Peck, Ernest Cole: Photographer is a French-American documentary focused on the South African photographer Ernest Cole. Premiering as a Special Screening at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, the film was released in French theaters on December 25, 2024, and is scheduled to stream on Netflix starting March 25, 2026. Produced in part by Velvet Film and distributed in France by Jour2Fête, it continues the filmmaker's exploration of key figures from contemporary African and African-American history.
Through this portrait, Raoul Peck traces the life of Ernest Cole, widely regarded as South Africa’s first independent Black photographer. His groundbreaking book, House of Bondage, published in 1967 at just 27 years old, exposes the brutal realities of apartheid to the world. Gaining international acclaim, it leads to Cole’s exile from South Africa, forcing him to leave his homeland and settle first in New York and later across Europe, where his photographic work is shaped by a life of wandering and hardship.
The film also delves into the artist's solitude in the face of a segment of Western society's indifference to the violence of the segregationist regime. Using archives, correspondences, and a narration voiced by Lakeith Stanfield in the original version, the documentary sheds light on the personal struggles of a creator confronting the loss of his bearings. The discovery in 2017 of 60,000 negatives stored in a Swedish bank vault is a key moment in the story, offering unprecedented insight into a body of work that had long been scattered and overlooked.
Having served as president of La Fémis for nearly a decade, Raoul Peck returns to documentary filmmaking here, eight years after I Am Not Your Negro (2016), a film centered on James Baldwin that earned the César Award for Best Documentary in 2018. As in his previous works, he blends archival footage, political analysis, and reflections on memory. According to Thierry Frémaux, the General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, the Special Screenings section highlights more personal works — an approach that aligns perfectly with this project, which focuses on a prominent artistic and political figure.
The documentary adopts a restrained and analytical tone, emphasizing historical context and the impact of photographic imagery. It targets viewers interested in South Africa’s history, the anti-apartheid struggles, and the stories of committed artists. Following in the footsteps of films like I Am Not Your Negro, it questions the circulation of images and their role in shaping global awareness of oppressive regimes.
Ernest Cole, Photographer
Documentary Film | 2024
Release in theaters: December 25, 2024
Available on Netflix from March 25, 2026
Documentary | Length: 1h45
Directed by Raoul Peck | Starring Lakeith Stanfield
Original title: Ernest Cole: Lost and Found
Countries of origin: France, United States
By tracing the journey of Ernest Cole and uncovering his archives anew, Raoul Peck creates a powerful documentary that bridges past and present. It places the story of apartheid within a broader reflection on the flow of images and the responsibilities that come with looking.
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