Chanda, a 12-year-old girl lives in a dusty small South African township not far from Johannesburg. When her newborn baby sister suddenly dies and her mother becomes ill, the neighbours become distant. With the help of her aunt, her mother leaves the town to get medical treatment. Chanda tries to find out what made the neighbours suddenly so unkind. Oliver Schmitz is one of the most established directors of South Africa and [Life, Above All] is his new feature invited to Un Certain Regard in Cannes 2010 and in competition at the 2010 Durban International Film Festival. In African society, AIDS is treated as a disgrace and humiliation of a family and is unconditionally hidden by the family. This film creates a mystery with a girl’s curiosity to know the truth and this effectively strengthens the exposure in the end. The film also talks about the problems caused by child prostitution and superstitious customs. The film glows with sharp criticism toward African society which comes close to a documentary. The girl played Chanda won the Best Actress Award in Durban International Film Festival this year. (RHEE Soue-won)