Issues to do with the Supreme Court Scene in SKIN
In the film, it is a moment of joy to Abraham when he hears of the new Population Registration Act on the radio and realises that Sandra has a chance of being re-classified. His delight is greatly undermined in the film in a number of ways. Consider how the following might be used to make his contentment more problematic:
- The scene showing Abraham hearing the news reports is inter-cut with scenes of Sandra happily playing in the river near the house with her mother sitting on the bank feeding Adriaan.
- As Abraham rushes out with the news for Sandra and Sannie, we hear (he doesn’t) various ordinary people taking part in a vox pop. Some explicitly mention Sandra and in the worst possible terms, condemning the Government for betraying the Afrikaner people.
- Abraham’s celebrations are witnessed by the Laing’s live-in ‘maid’ Nora. The script describes her regarding Abraham with ‘thinly-disguised contempt’, but actually the actress’ performance is more subtle, suggesting enormous hurt as Abraham celebrates.
