An exploration of the sensory experience of the TauTona gold mine in South Africa, showing migrant labourers working in dark, claustrophobic environments and the ear-splitting noise of drilling. The TauTona mine in South Africa, known as 'Western Deep' is the world's deepest gold mine. Employing more than 5,000 people, it operates twenty-four hours day. The film begins in complete darkness as the miners descend three-and-a-half kilometres underground. McQueen documents an intense work regime where the temperature can reach over ninety degrees celsius. Accompanied by jarring sounds created by the mechanical equipment, Western Deep is a hellish representation of labour that makes the silent resolve of the miners all the more powerful.
Direction
McQueen's unflinching gaze refuses to let you look away.
Sound
The drilling sound design will haunt your skull for days.
Cinematography
Darkness as character — you feel the depth in your bones.
Director
Steve McQueen
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
TauTona mine still operates today, with workers descending even deeper as gold deposits deplete.
McQueen filmed this before 12 Years a Slave, already obsessed with Black bodies under extreme duress.
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