Sarafina!

1992Movie⏱️ 1h 57mPG-13

DramaMusical

⭐ 6.3

IMDB Rating

2,435 votes

South African teenagers fight against apartheid in the Soweto Uprising.

Director

Darrell Roodt

Writers

Mbongeni Ngema, William Nicholson

Stars

Whoopi Goldberg, Leleti Khumalo, Miriam Makeba

Release Date

September 25, 1992

Language

English, Zulu

Country

United Kingdom, France, South Africa, United States

🎯 3

Nominations

💬 23

Reviews

📋 3.9K

Watchlists

📽️ View on IMDB

🎭 Top Cast

Whoopi Goldberg

as Mary Masembuko

Leleti Khumalo

as Sarafina

Miriam Makeba

as Angelina

John Kani

as School Principal

👤

Dumisani Dlamini

as Crocodile

Mbongeni Ngema

as Sabela

👤

Sipho Kunene

as Guitar

👤

Tertius Meintjes

as Lieutenant Bloem

Robert Whitehead

as Interrogator

Somizi Mhlongo

as Fire

💰 Box Office

$7,309,989

Worldwide Gross

$7,306,242

Domestic Gross

$76,488

Opening Weekend

🎬 Technical Specs

Aspect Ratio

1.85 : 1

Sound

Dolby

Color

Filming Location

Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa

Production

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Distant Horizon, Hollywood Pictures

🏷️ Keywords

teacherreference to nelson mandelareference to soweto uprisingdeath of teachereponymous name

🎯 Categories

DramaMusical

⭐ Featured Review

Fantastic Stage show - good movie

by Kaety • 2004-07-27

"I saw Sarafina as a stage show/musical when I was only a teenager and it drove home for me the hardships of young people in Africa. I saw this movie AFTER Nelson Mandela was released and yet it still is an overwhelmingly powerful movie. I enjoyed it and personally don't think that the musical aspects spoil the message and it does the original cast proud!!! Bravo! Whoopi Goldberg lends her brilliant compassion to the role and helps to endear the school teacher who supports the kids to the audience. Unlike the traditional song and dance musicals which were all sweetness and light this movi..."

💡 Did You Know?

The original Broadway production of "Sarafina!" opened at the Cort Theater in New York on January 28, 1988, ran for 597 performances and was nominated for the 1988 Tony Awards for the Best Musical and Score. Dumisani Dlamini, Leleti Khumalo, Nhlanhla Ngema and 'Mbongeni Ngema' recreated their roles in the movie version. A nomination for the 1988 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical went to Leleti Khumalo.