Falls the Shadow: The Life and Times of Athol Fugard

Palmer made this film to mark the 80th birthday of South African playwright and novelist Athol Fugard. His work is the most performed of any playwright (aside from Shakespeare) and is in constant production around the world. Palmer paints a portrait of an uncompromising artist and social critic who was banned and imprisoned by the apartheid regime, and later censured by the African National Congress for criticizing them after they took power. The documentary reveals a committed and tireless man at work, and presents rehearsal and performance excerpts from plays like Sizwe Bansi Is Dead and Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act with observations from Desmond Tutu, F.W. de Klerk, Alan Rickman and Kathy Bates. Powerful and disturbing archives of life under apartheid include rare scenes with activist Steve Biko, who died in police custody in 1977. Palmer has credited Hans Zimmer's score as an essential narrative component of this powerful film. (Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival)