The Smell of Apples film explores apartheid-era South Africa

The film ‘The Smell of Apples’, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, offers a depiction of South Africa during the apartheid era of 1974. Adapted from Mark Behr’s 1993 novel, the film directed by John Trengove examines the structures of power and how systems of oppression are maintained by those within them.

The narrative follows 11-year-old Marnus, a child living a privileged life, as he begins to navigate the complexities of his environment. The story explores the domestic lives of a politically connected family and the role of their black nanny, Doreen, while highlighting the broader societal mechanisms of discrimination. The film focuses on the perspectives of those who accepted the reality of the apartheid system, investigating how ordinary individuals functioned within a discriminatory framework.