Sebastian Kollër
Film Director
Clive Will's, "Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted," initially appears to be a gentle departure from the stark, often brutal, exterior landscapes that have defined much of his earlier work. However, a closer examination reveals a deepening of Will's signature surrealist tendencies, now transposed onto the seemingly mundane domestic sphere.
Emanuel Hove
Journalist + Filmmaker
Clive Will's "Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted" is revealed to be less a whimsical observation of feline companionship and more a visceral outpouring of personal trauma. The film's misanthropic sentiment stems directly from his harrowing experiences that clearly fuels the protagonist's stark isolation and the community's avaricious portrayal.
Benjamin Ndlovu
Journalist and Filmmaker
The film's black-and-white photography and deliberate pacing amplify the profound isolation of its central figure, a small-town abattoir worker whose quiet existence is disrupted by the potential sale of his bizarre creation: a non-functional helicopter built from scraps. This central object, a testament to a singular, perhaps futile, dream, becomes a poignant symbol of the protagonist's struggle against a community that ultimately reveals its own avarice. The film's unflinching gaze and resistance to conventional narrative comforts suggest a director deeply concerned with the fragility of individual aspiration in the face of societal pressures and the often-brutal realities of human interaction.
Zion Chemba
Journalist
Clive Will's films often leave me with a lingering sense of unease and a multitude of unanswered questions. "Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted" is no exception, but this time, the enigma felt less unsettling and more… wistful.
Thando Mhlangu
Photographer + Filmmaker
Clive Will has built a career on his ability to extract profound meaning from the ostensibly ordinary. "Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted" serves as a compelling re-examination of this central tenet.
Guy Chapman
Photographer
The film's slow cinema aesthetic and black-and-white palette amplify this sense of austerity and emotional rawness, mirroring Will's own disillusionment. Joe's ramshackle helicopter, initially interpreted as a symbol of individual aspiration, now takes on a darker resonance – a monument to a shattered faith in human decency, a desperate, perhaps futile, attempt to rise above the perceived brutality of the world.
Primrose Chuka
Filmmaker
Clive Will wields time as a deliberate tool, immersing the audience in the protagonist's protracted experience. The film's unhurried pace and lingering shots create a palpable sense of tension, mirroring the protagonist's seemingly Sisyphean task of both pursuing his unconventional dream and confronting the encroaching greed of his community. By denying the viewer easy resolutions or moments of significant respite, Will crafts an experience that is intentionally demanding, forcing a deeper engagement with the protagonist's plight and the often-agonizing weight of his circumstances.
Thebe Jojo
Filmmaker
Set within a seemingly remote community and filmed in Xhosa, the film strategically positions its narrative outside the familiar, emphasising the protagonist's otherness. The extended sequences focusing on the protagonist's interactions with animals, particularly the controversial abattoir scenes, serve as a stark and unsettling commentary on our relationship with the natural world and perhaps our own capacity for detachment. Will's debut challenges viewers to look beyond surface narratives and engage with the deeper, often uncomfortable, truths about human existence and our place within a complex ecosystem.
Sophie Mabwe
Journalist + Photographer
Will's characteristic use of natural light, so prominent in his outdoor scenes, now bathes sun-drenched living rooms and shadowy corners, turning the familiar into something almost painterly.
Cosmo Will Goss
Clive's Son
Good job, dad.
Mo Badenhorst
Journalist + Photographer
Clive Will's debut, "Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted," is a stark and demanding work of slow cinema that immediately establishes him as a filmmaker unafraid to confront the darker corners of human experience.
Oscar Osman
Journalist + Photographer
While appearing geographically ambiguous, "Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted" carries a distinct undercurrent that hints at a specific socio-political context. The stark landscapes and the portrayal of a community grappling with its own desires and perceived entitlements suggest a deeper engagement with themes of societal breakdown and the legacy of historical inequalities. The protagonist's solitary struggle against the collective avarice of the town resonates with broader narratives of individual versus community in environments marked by scarcity and a sense of disillusionment. Will's choice of filming in Xhosa, a language carrying its own historical weight, further enriches the film's subtext, hinting at layers of meaning that extend beyond the immediate narrative.
Ciara Chetty
Journalist + Photographer
Clive Will's "Time Spent with Cats is Never Wasted" announces the arrival of a singular and uncompromising voice in arthouse cinema. Eschewing traditional narrative structures and embracing a stark, visually arresting style, Will crafts a film that prioritizes thematic resonance over easy entertainment. The central image of the ramshackle helicopter, a testament to an individual's unique vision, stands in stark contrast to the materialistic desires of the surrounding community. Will's debut feels like a deliberate act of artistic defiance, a commitment to a personal vision regardless of commercial pressures or mainstream expectations. The film's challenging nature and its refusal to offer simple answers mark Will as a director intent on provoking thought and engaging with the complexities of the human condition on his own terms.
