Jo Menell is a rare man whose life of exile and activism has aligned with many of the key moments and figures of the last 60 years. His exceptional capacity to be both storyteller and subject offers an unusual and brilliant perspective and, as we see him finally make sense of his personal exile, a radical way forward.
The intimate story of Jo Menell – most famous (or perhaps infamous) as the maker of the iconic feminist film “Dick”, but in fact a remarkable life-long global activist and storyteller, still making waves at the age of 80, whose best story is that of his own life! Menell is a Zelig-like character whose extraordinary personal story gives a brilliant perspective into the complexity of our times.
South African filmmaker Jo Menell is most well-known for the cult classic, Dick, which featured shots of 1000 penises accompanied by audio commentary from women. The nature of that film, however, belies a rich career in film and journalism that spans a 1981 Bob Marley documentary, the first post-apartheid documentary about Mandela in 1997, and the Street Talk television series, as well as relationships with key figures from the 20th Century. Born into a life of privilege,…