Colonial era horrors that leave deep rooted connections to prejudice even today are challenged in this stand out film. Paris 1817, Academy of Medicine. Moulded cast of Saartjie Baartman’s body. Seven years earlier, Saartjie leaves South Africa with her master, Caezar, to expose her caged body to the audiences of London’s freak shows.
The hangover from colonial history is still being brought to terms in the western world. Like much of the Muslim world, Hindu world etc what has been done in the order of expressing superiority, has often left untold harm in its wake. Black Venus is, if you like the coming to terms of this for a western audience. The returning to an event and then forcing us to confront it. 
Not an easy thing but one that is rich and rewarding. It is also hard to watch often because it never resorts to distance in its depiction. It never resorts to having the audience away from what we are watching. Abdellatif Kechiche did the same with another of his themes. It challenged sexuality square on and here the same is being done for post colonial groups to come to terms with what was done and why.
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
- Optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
- Optional English subtitles
- Brand-new appreciation of Black Venus and the cinema of Abdellatif Kechiche by critic Neil Young
- Theatrical trailer
- Reversible sleeve featuring and original newly commissioned artwork by Peter Strain
