South African teenagers fight against apartheid in the Soweto Uprising.
Director: Darrell Roodt
Stars: Whoopi Goldberg, Leleti Khumalo, Miriam Makeba.
Mbongeni Ngema ... choreographer
Michael Peters ... choreographer
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105316/
Watched online, ok print.
11 songs in the Soundtracks, 9 written by the playwright/screenplay author.
Note: Sarafina is the girl behind WG in the poster; WG plays her history teacher.
This is good in a bad way: illuminating hate and revolution in apartheid-S.Africa, but at a personal level, and with choreographed songs. Some songs are revolutionary; some are not in English, and I don't think we got subtitles for all. The choreography was not to make light of the subject; the dancers didn't make moves that belied years of training. It was more for showing unity and hope.
The post-film text says that Mandela had been released from prison in '90, and apartheid banned in '91, and that much was still needed. (He was head of state '94-9.)
Worth watching, but it's tough, brutal stuff.
BBC & more, dir. Roodt; 7
