Gold Songs review – story of love and longing in Mozambique’s desperately dangerous goldmines

Ico Costa’s film follows a young man who leaves his sweetheart in search of better fortune in the perilous mines in the north of the country Love heartbreakingly clashes with economic difficulties in Ico Costa’s third feature, shot on location in Mozambique and featuring non-professional actors. The film opens on a gentle moment between Domingos (Domingos Marengula) and Neusia (Neusia Emídio Guiamba), their figures wrapped in the velvety half-light of the early dawn. Lying in bed together, the young couple sleepily talk of mundane trivialities but their tender gaze seems to speak louder than words; locked in each other’s arms, the pair will soon spend the rest of the film apart.Unsatisfied with the meagre earnings he makes from washing cars, Domingos leaves his home town for the dangerous goldmines in the north of the country. When he enters this precarious trade, the camera trails behind his footsteps as he passes through rocky terrains and makeshift tents. It’s an interesting stylistic choice that seeks to emphasise both the geographical specificity and the lethal risks of Domingos’s environment, as well as his bond with fellow workers. When seen in group compositions, the men share a moving rapport that can’t always resist the callous indifference of an exploitative industry. Continue reading...

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