Western Deep

Overview

An exploration of the sensory experience of the TauTona gold mine in South Africa, showing migrant labourers working in dark, claustrophobic environments and the ear-splitting noise of drilling. The TauTona mine in South Africa, known as 'Western Deep' is the world's deepest gold mine. Employing more than 5,000 people, it operates twenty-four hours day. The film begins in complete darkness as the miners descend three-and-a-half kilometres underground. McQueen documents an intense work regime where the temperature can reach over ninety degrees celsius. Accompanied by jarring sounds created by the mechanical equipment, Western Deep is a hellish representation of labour that makes the silent resolve of the miners all the more powerful.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

September 1, 2002

Original language

English

Countries

United Kingdom

Director

Steve McQueen

Cinematography

Sean Bobbitt

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

IMDb

tt3323988