FARMLANDS | Lauren Southern
Land Conflict
FARMLANDS – 2018 | Lauren Southern
The documentary Farmlands, directed by Canadian activist Lauren Southern, explores the violent attacks and persecution faced by white farmers in South Africa.
Farmlands investigates claims of a “white genocide” occurring as farms predominantly owned by white families are attacked, with farmers often murdered in brutal ways. The film highlights the failure of the South African government and law enforcement to adequately protect these farmers or acknowledge the racial motivations behind the violence, despite rising crime rates and land seizure policies without compensation.
Lauren Southern provides a brief historical context, noting that white settlers have been in the Cape longer than black populations, and focuses on the plight of white farmers and the growing white underclass. The documentary includes interviews with victims, activists, and officials, and visits places like Orania, a town inhabited by Afrikaners. Southern’s tone is pessimistic about South Africa’s future under its current leadership, contrasting Nelson Mandela’s more pragmatic approach with the radical path taken by his successors.
Farmlands has been described as a courageous and important documentary that sheds light on a largely underreported issue, though it has also been controversial and polarising due to its political context.
Source: FARMLANDS (2018) | Official Documentary – YouTube
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