A Soweto schoolgirl named Sarafina is galvanized to protest apartheid after her teacher is arrested for her activism, leading her to join the student resistance movement.
Acting
Leleti Khumalo's explosive screen debut—she originated the stage role too.
Score
Mbongeni Ngema's fusion of protest anthems and Broadway bombast slaps hard.
Direction
Roodt somehow makes a classroom massacre work in a PG-13 musical. Chaos.
Director
Darrell James Roodt
Leleti Khumalo
Sarafina
Whoopi Goldberg
Mary Masembuko
John Kani
School Principal
Miriam Makeba
Angelina
Mary Twala
Sarafina's Grandmother
Dumisani Dlamini
Crocodile
Mbongeni Ngema
Sabela
Tertius Meintjes
Lieutenant Bloem
Robert Whitehead
Interrogator
Greg Latter
Policeman
Nicky Rebelo
Soldier
James Whyle
Soldier
Patrick Ndlovu
Victor Gumede
Somizi Mhlongo
Fire
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Soweto Uprising on June 16, 1976 saw police kill hundreds of students protesting Afrikaans-language education; it's now South Africa's Youth Day.
Miriam Makeba was exiled from South Africa for 30 years until Mandela's release; this was her first film shot back home.
ZA
US
