Out of “The Unfinished Conversations Series,” two documentaries have been created– “Uncorking the Bitter Truth: Slavery’s Legacy in Cape Wine” (2025) and “The Unfinished Conversations Series: Telling New Stories” (2025). Bringing together interviews, curator testimonies, and environmental footage collected across all eight locations, “Telling New Stories” presents a snapshot of the digital archive. A third documentary on the Charles Town Maroons in Jamaica is currently in production.
“Uncorking the Bitter Truth: Slavery’s Legacy in Cape Wine” exposes the painful legacy of South Africa’s famous winelands. The documentary reveals how colonial slavery’s legacy still affects farmworker communities through poverty, low wages, poor working conditions, and restricted housing rights. It also highlights the devastating impact of the ‘Dop system,’ which left a legacy of alcoholism and generational trauma. Through personal stories, the documentary highlights ongoing struggles for dignity, land, and justice among descendants of enslaved people who cultivate the Cape’s world-class wine. Ultimately, it is a powerful and intimate exploration of a people fighting for their rights, their identity, and a just future.
- Institutional Producers: Iziko Museums of South Africa and Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice, Brown University
- Produced and Directed by: Roxanne Harris and iRox Content Studio
- Executive Producer: Anthony Bogues
- Director of Photography: Kobus Louw
- Researchers: Paul Tichmann, Shanaaz Galant, and Kennedy Jones
- Research Associate: Yannick Etoundi
This project is made possible through generous support of the Abrams Foundation.
