Sarafina! Will be shown at ZIFF with starring actress Leleti Khumalo coming to the festival. In summer 1976 people are angry in South Africa's townships. Especially in Soweto, the largest slum in the southwest of Johannesburg, the tensions grow. Since decades, black South Africans suffer from the racist apartheid system that has installed the white minority government. But in recent weeks, the anger has built up particularly in schools. According to the White government Afrikaans, the language of the Boers, shall become the official teaching language. This is a humiliation for the black population, which usually only speaks English in addition to their numerous tribal languages.
In the middle of the events that take place on 16th June 1976 stands Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo), who inspires her peers to rise up in protest. The young black South African has remained relatively silent in her opposition of the racist government in her country. But now the movement to make the language of Afrikaans the official language in her school leads her to protest in the streets with her fellow students. Her anti-government views become even more intense when her favorite teacher Mary Masembuko (Whoopi Goldberg) is arrested for protesting.
The film Sarafina! Was shot on location in Soweto and Johannesburg, South Africa. Darrell Roodt directed, with the script by Mbongeni Ngema and William Nicholson. It was first shown in 1992 and re-released in South Africa on 16 June 2006 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Soweto uprising in Soweto. For US-actress, comedian and talk show host Whoopi Goldberg the film was a labor of love. She convinced the executives at Disney to produce Sarafina!
At ZIFF the film will be shown in conjunction with the theme of From Selma to Soweto in commemoration of the civil rights movements in the Black world, and starring actress Leleti Khumalo will be present as the Festival Chief Guest!