Joe Bullet

During the period of South African Apartheid that spanned much of the latter half of the 20th century, the nation’s segregated filmmaking apparatus witnessed a surprisingly vigorous movement of white producers and filmmakers investing in the production of films for Black audiences, eventually with the support of “B-scheme” government subsidies. Shot in 1971 under the auspices of screenwriter Tonie van der Merwe’s self-financed production outfit, director Louis de Witt’s Joe Bullet was one of the first South African films to feature an all-Black cast—and was banned by government censors after just two screenings. Tall, handsome, and athletic, the titular hero (Ken Gampu) was reportedly conceived in the mold of Shaft and James Bond, fighting, stabbing, and shooting at the nefarious saboteurs who hope to undermine his soccer team in an upcoming championship game.