

Kanarie (Afrikaans for 'Canary') is a coming-of-age musical war drama. Drafted into the South African army during apartheid, a young soldier joins the military's traveling choir, and romance on the battlefield causes him to deal with his long-repressed sexual identity through hardship, camaraderie, first love, and the liberating freedom of music, the true self can be discovered.
Acting
Schalk Bezuidenhout's trembling vulnerability carries every frame.
Direction
Olwagen stages musical numbers like psychological combat.
Score
Die Stem weaponized against itself—chilling.

Director
Christiaan Olwagen
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Conscription was mandatory for white South African men until 1994; the 'Border War' was largely censored domestically.
Bezuidenhout trained with actual military choir veterans, and several cast members served under apartheid conscription.