Sarafina!
She was their teacher. They were her hope.
1992 | 117m | English
Popularity: 3 (history)
| Director: | Darrell James Roodt |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Mbongeni Ngema, William Nicholson |
| Staring: |
| The plot centers on students involved in the Soweto Riots, in opposition to the implementation of Afrikaans as the language of instruction in schools. The stage version presents a school uprising similar to the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976. A narrator introduces several characters among them the school girl activist Sarafina. Things get out of control when a policeman shoots several pupils in a classroom. Nevertheless, the musical ends with a cheerful farewell show of pupils leaving school, which takes most of act two. In the movie version Sarafina feels shame at her mother's (played by Miriam Makeba in the film) acceptance of her role as domestic servant in a white household in apartheid South Africa, and inspires her peers to rise up in protest, especially after her inspirational teacher, Mary Masombuka (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film version) is imprisoned. | |
| Release Date: | Sep 18, 1992 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Darrell James Roodt |
| Writer: | Mbongeni Ngema, William Nicholson |
| Genres: | Family, Drama, Music |
| Keywords | africa, south africa, apartheid, musical, based on play or musical, soweto |
| Production Companies | Miramax, Vanguard Films, Hollywood Pictures, BBC, Videovision Entertainment, Les Films Ariane, Ideal, Distant Horizon |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 01, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Michelle Bestbier | Mrs. Hendricks |
| Patrick Ndlovu | Victor Gumede |
| Somizi Mhlongo | Fire |
| Sipho Kunene | Guitar |
| Nhlanhla Ngema | Stimela |
| Faca Khulu | Eddie |
| Wendy Mseleku | China |
| James Mthoba | Sarafina's Uncle |
| Gideon de Wet | Policeman |
| Bheki Mqadi | Moses |
| Patrick Manqele | Preacher |
| Sibusiso Ngema | Funeral Leader |
| Zanele Sangweni | Lindiwe |
| Ayanda Nhlangothi | Thulani |
| Bafana Hendricks | Jabu |
| Pheto Wildeman | Nhanhla |
| Xolani Dlamini | Sarafina's Brother |
| Siya Ngcobo | Sarafina's Brother |
| Louis Seboko | Joe Masombuka |
| Sam Ngakane | Guitar's Father |
| Doris Sehula | Woman Shopper |
| Dominic Skosana | Prison Guard |
| Ishmael Boikanyo | Prison Guard |
| Siphamandla Ngcamu | Testimonies / Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer |
| Mfana 'Jones' Hlope | Testimonies / Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer |
| Congo Radebe | Silence |
| Thulani Didi | Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer |
| Vincent Ngobese | Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer |
| Vukani Dlamini | Crocodile's Gang Member / Dancer (as Vukani 'Marko' Dlamini) |
| Gugwana Dlamini | Sarafina's Friend / Dancer |
| Dipou Lehlongwa | Sarafina's Friend / Dancer |
| Khuluiwe Sithole | Sarafina's Friend / Dancer |
| Batho Mhlongo | Sarafina's Friend / Dancer |
| Billy Mashigo | Shebeen Drinker |
| Dixon Malele | Shebeen Drinker |
| Eric Seema | Shebeen Drinker |
| Velaphi Msini | Teacher |
| Mate Bashe | Teacher |
| Princess Msala | Teacher |
| Sbongile Dingatha | Woman Shopper |
| Olga Mvicane | Woman Shopper |
| Sindi Dlathu | Dancer (as Sindiswa Dlathu) |
| Mabusi Gumede | Dancer |
| Khanyo Maphumulo | Dancer |
| Mmabatho Ramoupi | Dancer |
| Sonto Khumalo | Dancer |
| Nonhlanhla Sithole | Dancer |
| Seipati Sothoane | Dancer |
| Sindisiwe Sokhela | Dancer |
| Velile Mchunu | Dancer |
| Brian 'Jazz' Mazibuko | Dancer |
| Thapi 'Joko' Khambule | Dancer |
| Gugu Mkhize | Dancer |
| Lerato Wildeman | Dancer |
| Nokuzola Dhlathu | Dancer |
| Futhi Mhlongo | Dancer |
| Rayhana Myles | Dancer |
| Sibonakaliso Sothoane | Dancer |
| Zanele Radebe | Dancer |
| Alfred Ndlovu | Dancer |
| Cyprian Shandu | Dancer |
| John Lata | Dancer |
| Mazwe Shabalala | Dancer |
| Phakiso Motloung | Dancer |
| Sduduzo Mthethwa | Dancer |
| Thulani Mofokeng | Dancer |
| Mabonga Khumalo | Dancer |
| Nkosane Mzolo | Dancer |
| Sduduzo Mbili | Dancer |
| Skhumbuzo Kubheka | Dancer |
| Sindane Mbatha | Dancer |
| Stephen Evans | Police Officer (uncredited) |
| Dieketseng Mnisi | Dancer / Singer (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Darrell James Roodt | Director |
| Emilia Roux | Set Decoration |
| Megan Gill | First Assistant Editor |
| Mbongeni Ngema | Choreographer, Theatre Play, Screenplay |
| Rick Cresswell | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Tania Jenkins | Line Producer |
| Nicky De Beer | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Mark Vicente | Director of Photography |
| David Barkham | Production Design |
| David Heitner | Editor |
| Sarah Thomas | Editor |
| Graham Hickson | First Assistant Director |
| Debra-Lee Davidson | Makeup Artist |
| Peter Hollywood | Editor |
| William Nicholson | Screenplay |
| Stanley Myers | Original Music Composer |
| Michael Peters | Choreographer |
| Gabriella Molnar | Key Hair Stylist, Key Makeup Artist |
| Chris Olley | Stunts |
| Roly Jansen | Stunt Coordinator |
| Neville Strydom | Stunts |
| Tyrone Stevenson | Stunts |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Anant Singh | Producer |
| Kirk D'Amico | Executive Producer |
| Sudhir Pragjee | Executive Producer |
| Helena Spring | Executive Producer |
| Sanjeev Singh | Executive Producer |
| David M. Thompson | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 12 | 23 | 7 |
| 2024 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 6 |
| 2024 | 6 | 19 | 40 | 10 |
| 2024 | 7 | 13 | 26 | 7 |
| 2024 | 8 | 12 | 24 | 6 |
| 2024 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 8 |
| 2024 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 5 |
| 2024 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 4 |
| 2024 | 12 | 10 | 29 | 5 |
| 2025 | 1 | 10 | 17 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Trending Position