Diaries of a Dissident Poet

James Matthews, South African and international literary icon, reflects on his tumulteous life, commencing at the District Six Museum at his 83rd birthday celebrations, across two years until is 85th in 2014. Through video-diaries, archival footage and honest self-examination, Matthews tells stories of his early days in the Bo-Kaap, being raised in an abusive household, becoming a single father and jounalist, setting up the country’s first black publishing house and the ravaging effects of alcoholism on his life. Through his eyes, we recall the apartheid state that inspired his raging words, described as “a petrol bomb”, his imprisonment and the banning of “Cry Rage”– the first book of poetry to be banned in South Africa. Diaries of a Dissident Poet is a rare, intimate slice of history as told by one of our most significant poets, and a vital archive for future generations.