Illusion of Distance (2023)

• social
• political

Logline

The Illusion of Distance delves into the enduring effects of the Apartheid. Boeta Allie, an 80-year-old man classified as coloured by the Apartheid government was separated from his childhood friend Isaac Mbenyane because of his race.

Plot Summary

Illusion of Distance delves into the life of Boeta Allie, an 80-year-old coloured man who grew up in District 6, as he searches for his long-lost childhood friend, Isaac. After the implementation of the Group Areas Act, which forced the segregation of communities based on race, Boeta Allie was forced to move to Bonteheuwel, a township reserved for coloureds in Cape Town, resulting in him losing contact with his best friend. Now, decades later, Boeta Allie seeks to reconnect with his old friend in remembrance of their childhood in District 6. Through a personal story, the film explores the enduring effects of colonialism, apartheid, and the politics of space. Illusion of Distance is a beautiful and moving portrait of life, friendship, and memory, in an attempt to heal the past stolen from them.