Ernest Cole: Lost and Found is a 2024 documentary film produced, written and directed by Raoul Peck. It follows Ernest Cole, a South African independent photographer who exposed the horrors of the Apartheid in South Africa during the 1960s and 1970s. It is narrated by LaKeith Stanfield.
The documentary had its world premiere in the Special Screenings section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2024, where it won the L'Œil d'or for Best Documentary. At the 50th César Awards it was nominated in the Best Documentary Film category.
It was theatrically released in the United States on November 22, 2024, by Magnolia Pictures, and in France on December 25, 2024, by Condor Distribution.
Premise Ernest Cole exposes the horror of Apartheid through photographs, which resulted in him fleeing to the United States to avoid the then ongoing persecution of black media members in South Africa. Most of his work stayed unpublished until 2017, when 60,000 negatives were found in a Swedish bank safe.
Production In May 2023, it was announced Raoul Peck would direct a documentary revolving around Ernest Cole, with Magnolia Pictures set to distribute in the United States. The documentary is produced in collaboration with the Cole estate, through which Peck gained full access to his archive.
In February 2024, it was announced LaKeith Stanfield would voice Cole.
Release It had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the Special Screenings section on May 20, 2024. It was released in the United States on November 22, 2024, and was released in France on December 25, 2024.
Reception
Critical response Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 82 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Accolades Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Cannes Film Festival May 24, 2024 L'Œil d'or Raoul Peck César AwardsFebruary 28, 2025Best Documentary Film
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