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
Schalk Bezuidenhout
Johan Niemand
Hannes Otto
Wolfgang Müller
Germandt Geldenhuys
Ludolf Otterman
Gérard Rudolf
Reverend Koch
Jacques Bessenger
Reverend Engelbrecht
Francois Jacobs
Tiaan Taljaard
De Klerk Oelofse
Walter "Rambo" Boonzaaier
Ludwig Binge
Daan Goosen
David Viviers
Kevin Scott
Andrico Goosen
Ruan "Lobster" Swart
Beer Adriaanse
Corporal Crunchie
Laudo Liebenberg
Lourens Human
Geon Nel
Corporal De Wet
Emile Tredoux
Corporal du Toit
Johan Botha
Mr. Visser
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.
ZA
