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Sarafina!

Play trailer Poster for Sarafina! PG-13 1992 1h 38m Musical Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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60% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo) is a young black South African struggling for freedom during the apartheid. While she has remained relatively silent in her opposition of the racist government in her country, the movement to make the language of Afrikaans the official language in her school leads her to protest in the streets with her fellow students. Her anti-government views become even more intense when her favorite teacher (Whoopi Goldberg) is arrested for protesting.
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Sarafina!

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
2/4
This movie doesn't know what it believes. Go to Full Review
Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant 04/16/2018
While Sarafina! is unabashedly propagandistic on behalf of its young black heroes, even the viewpoint of the murdered black constable can be felt -- with Ngema himself as the charming yet unprincipled quisling. Go to Full Review
Andrea Beach Common Sense Media 05/05/2015
3/5
Sobering musical about apartheid includes brutal violence. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/18/2005
2/5
Daniel M. Kimmel Worcester Telegram & Gazette 12/07/2004
3/5
Robin Clifford Reeling Reviews 11/19/2004
2/5
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Audience Reviews

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DOMONIQUE S 10/11/2023 I THINK IT'S A STUPID MOVIE, MAN. See more 07/10/2020 A must see for all black people! See more 11/11/2019 A buffet of African heritage and culture , True African warrior spirit.. #vivasouthafrica See more 10/04/2019 Sarafina Is One Of The Best Movies See more 05/09/2018 The critical consensus here is rubbish probably spawning from white guilt. tHE audience score says it all. sarafina is a timeless masterpiece. See more 05/01/2017 The actors are brilliant and bring the songs and their meanings to life. The songs evoke true emotion to anyone who watches it See more Read all reviews
Sarafina!

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Movie Info

Synopsis Sarafina (Leleti Khumalo) is a young black South African struggling for freedom during the apartheid. While she has remained relatively silent in her opposition of the racist government in her country, the movement to make the language of Afrikaans the official language in her school leads her to protest in the streets with her fellow students. Her anti-government views become even more intense when her favorite teacher (Whoopi Goldberg) is arrested for protesting.
Director
Darrell James Roodt
Producer
Anant Singh, David M. Thompson
Screenwriter
Mbongeni Ngema, William Nicholson
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Videovision Entertainment, Hollywood Pictures, Miramax Films, Les Films Ariane, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Distant Horizon, Vanguard Films Production
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Musical, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 11, 1992, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.3M
Runtime
1h 38m
Sound Mix
Dolby, Surround, Stereo
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