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The River Used to Be a Man

Name: The River Used to Be a Man
Director: Jan Zabeil
Released: 2012
Duration: 80 min

Representation Score

4.9/10

Fair

2012

Director

Jan Zabeil

Runtime

80 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film functions as a character-driven drama exploring cultural displacement. By placing a European protagonist in a foreign landscape in Botswana, it moves away from strictly Western-centric storytelling. However, the narrative remains focused on a male-centric journey. While the setting introduces racial and cultural complexity, the lack of diverse gender roles or queer identities limits the representation. Ultimately, the film presents cultural friction but lacks the depth needed for a higher diversity rating.

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Category Breakdown

Does The River Used to Be a Man have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not include any explicit mentions of LGBTQ+ characters or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities. There is no depiction of same-sex intimacy or queer themes in the narrative.

How does The River Used to Be a Man portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on a male protagonist and an older male mentor. Women are not shown in positions of high ability to act or leadership roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The River Used to Be a Man?

Good

The film is set in Botswana and includes interactions with local inhabitants, providing meaningful inclusion. The narrative suggests a departure from Eurocentric dominance by treating the local culture as a complex force.

How does The River Used to Be a Man represent religion and culture?

Fair

The film explores the tension between Western perspectives and non-Western environments. It portrays the journey as a struggle against the barriers of a different way of life.

Does The River Used to Be a Man include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with physical, sensory, or neurodivergent disabilities in the film.

Present on Screen

Meaningful inclusion through its Botswana setting and interactions with local inhabitants.
Explores the tension between Western perspectives and non-Western environments.
Avoids the homogeneity of strictly Western-centric narratives.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ characters or queer themes.
Features a male-centric narrative with limited women's ability to drive the story.
Provides no evidence of disability representation or neurodivergent characters.

Official Synopsis

A young German travels in Botswana. On the banks of a river, he meets an old fisherman who takes him deep into the wilderness in his wooden boat. The next morning, he finds himself alone in a seemingly endless river delta. After days of wandering, he arrives in a village far from civilisation, but his odyssey never ends. More and more, he loses control in the impassability of a foreign culture.

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