Identify one female character in your chosen film
Miriam
Briefly outline how hair, costume or makeup is used by this character
Miriam wears a yellow and red headscarf with a yellow cardigan. Yellow could represent sunshine and light, showing how Miriam is a beacon to Tsotsi, as well as a leader, furthermore a mother-like figure, as we discover he has lacked one for many years. Yellow, reds and brown are tribal colours, reflecting Miriam’s heritage and culture. She is wearing little or no makeup, showing her natural beauty and how her main priority is her child.
Briefly explore how mise-en-scene is used to present this character in one key sequence In the scene when Tsotsi is holding a gun at Miriam, she is wearing a headscarf with reds, browns, and yellows- tribal colours, reflecting her heritage and culture. Also, she is wearing yellow, suggesting that she is a source of light and happiness for Tsotsi (or will eventually be), as well as a beacon and a leader, guiding him- perhaps even becoming a mother-like figure. She picks up some knives (props) and holds them towards Tsotsi, clearly afraid. This use of knives implies that she is willing to protect her child, but is too scared or, alternatively kind, to commit a crime. Behind her, there is a window in which the same South-African sunset lighting, reflecting Tsotsi in the opening scene. This suggests that the youth and adults are equal and the same, experiencing the same things and dealing with the same problems- like Miriam.
Discuss the representation of gender in at least one sequence from your chosen film
The film Tsotsi opens with three of Tsotsi’s gang members gambling, with a close up of two dice (props) and the boys smoking. Both of these activities are considered irresponsible and something that criminals and rebellious characters would partake in. The fact that the three boys are enjoying this implies that in this community, the majority of males are rebellious and criminal- aligning with typical masculine stereotypes. One of the shots in this sequence is a wide-shot, in which we are watching the boys gamble, with Tsotsi standing with his back to the audience, representing how men often close themselves off and hide their emotions to present more ‘masculine’. Furthermore, the lighting outside this window is beautiful- with purples and pinks (typically feminine colours), representing how Tsotsi is searching for something more than this rebellious, masculine lifestyle. Perhaps he is the minority? Or is this how all men feel? The close up of the di in the opening sequence could represent that men cannot escape their fate: to be doomed to toxic masculinity for their lives. Tsotsi could be trying to escape this.
When the gang leave the shack, the majority of the gang are wearing black, representing darkness and dangerousness, supporting classic masculine stereotypes. They look harsh against the beautiful South-African sunset. Tsotsi has a red top on, further connotating classic male stereotypes. The camera pans to behind the gang and then films them with a tracking shot a on a dolly cam, at a low angle as they walk toward the camera. This low angle shot means that the audience are threatened by the gang- the four boys. They (the men) are being presented as threatening and dangerous to the audience, aligning with the masculine stereotypes. As well as this, non-diegetic hip-hop music is playing. Hip-hop music has a reputation of gangs and violence (again connotating the classic male stereotypes) , as well as African culture, suggesting that the men in this film embrace their culture.
This scene with the hand reflects a later scene, where Tsotsi is following Miriam. Again, a tracking shot (and possibly a dolly cam) is used again, with just Tsotsi walking toward the camera and audience this time, making the viewer intimidated by Tsotsi, and feel for the woman, Miriam (whom is represented as weak and a victim, due to being followed by aggressive Tsotsi), however, the camera is now at eye-level as opposed to a low angle, meaning that Tsotsi isn’t as threatening without the rest of his gang. This could represent men as being more threatening in packs and more vulnerable by themselves. Miriam is carrying a baby, and has just got water from the tap, reflecting women’s classic roles in many African society’s: homemaker and mother. Miriam is wearing yellow, contrasting the dark clothes of the men in the gang. Yellow represents life and light. Miriam later breastfeeds the baby (which Tsotsi cannot, showing that men are not capable of everything, and need women to be mothers and create a balance), and the shot slowly zooms in to highlight how important women and mothers are to babies- men and women.
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