Human Rights Day screening shines light on Dulcie September’s forgotten story
Filmmaker Enver Samuel is pushing to restore the memory of overlooked liberation heroes, like Dulcie September.
On Human Rights Day, the life and legacy of Dulcie September returned to public focus, as filmmaker Enver Samuel used his documentary to challenge how South Africans remember their past.
The Trevor Huddleston Memorial Centre hosted a screening of Murder in Paris: The Assassination of Dulcie September, drawing a crowd of more than a hundred people, many of whom admitted they had never fully engaged with her story before.
Read more: Sophiatown to host Human Rights Day screening of Dulcie September assassination documentary
Samuel said the documentary was driven by a concern that many of the country’s true heroes remained unrecognised. While names like Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, and Walter Sisulu were widely known, he said others who sacrificed their lives for freedom had largely been forgotten. Dulcie September, he noted, was among those whose contributions had faded from public consciousness, despite the role she played in securing democracy.
The production process for the film took four years, slowed by persistent funding challenges that forced repeated interruptions. Samuel said financial support remained one of the biggest barriers to telling historical stories of this nature. He also pointed to the difficulty of accessing archival material, which he described as essential in bringing September’s life into sharper focus for audiences, and allowing them to connect with her.
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Despite the challenges, Samuel said the intention of the film was to spark curiosity and encourage deeper engagement with history. He said he wanted audiences to leave asking who Dulcie September was, why she was killed, and what her story reveals about South Africa’s past.
The screening also highlighted gaps in public knowledge, with some attendees unaware of the African National Congress’s international work during the struggle. Samuel said research continues to uncover these histories, but much of it remains unknown to the wider public.
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