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IMDbPro

Sarafina!

  • 1992
  • PG-13
  • 1h 57m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
Sarafina! (1992)
Trailer for Sarafina!
Play trailer2:06
1 Video
28 Photos
DramaMusical

South African teenagers fight against apartheid in the Soweto Uprising.South African teenagers fight against apartheid in the Soweto Uprising.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
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    2.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Darrell Roodt
    • Writers
      • Mbongeni Ngema
      • William Nicholson
    • Stars
      • Whoopi Goldberg
      • Leleti Khumalo
      • Miriam Makeba
    • 23User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Sarafina!
    Trailer 2:06
    Watch Sarafina!

    Photos28

    Whoopi Goldberg and Leleti Khumalo in Sarafina! (1992)
    Leleti Khumalo in Sarafina! (1992)
    Whoopi Goldberg in Sarafina! (1992)
    Whoopi Goldberg in Sarafina! (1992)
    Sarafina! (1992)
    Whoopi Goldberg and Leleti Khumalo in Sarafina! (1992)
    Sarafina! (1992)
    Sarafina! (1992)
    Whoopi Goldberg and Leleti Khumalo in Sarafina! (1992)
    Sarafina! (1992)
    Sarafina! (1992)
    Whoopi Goldberg in Sarafina! (1992)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Whoopi Goldberg
    Whoopi Goldberg
    • Mary Masembuko
    Leleti Khumalo
    Leleti Khumalo
    • Sarafina
    Miriam Makeba
    Miriam Makeba
    • Angelina
    John Kani
    John Kani
    • School Principal
    Dumisani Dlamini
    • Crocodile
    Mbongeni Ngema
    Mbongeni Ngema
    • Sabela
    Sipho Kunene
    • Guitar
    Tertius Meintjes
    • Lieutenant Bloem
    Robert Whitehead
    Robert Whitehead
    • Interrogator
    Somizi Mhlongo
    Somizi Mhlongo
    • Fire
    • (as Somizi 'Whacko' Mhlongo)
    Nhlanhla Ngema
    • Stimela
    Faca Khulu
    • Eddie
    • (as Faca Kulu)
    Wendy Mseleku
    • China
    Mary Twala
    Mary Twala
    • Sarafina's Grandmother
    James Mthoba
    • Sarafina's Uncle
    Greg Latter
    Greg Latter
    • Policeman
    Gideon De Wet
    • Policeman
    Nicky Rebelo
    Nicky Rebelo
    • Soldier
    • Director
      • Darrell Roodt
    • Writers
      • Mbongeni Ngema
      • William Nicholson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      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.
    • Quotes

      Preacher: They fear you because you are young. They fear you because you are the future. How fearful they must be that they shoot you children. How powerful you must be that they fear you so much. You are powerful because you are the generation that will be free. The violence, the beatings, the torture, the killings; all this is the birth pain of our free nation. Please God, may I live to see it. But if I don't, I see it now on your faces like the light of the rising sun, and my heart lifts within me, as if I, too, was young again. And I know, yes, I know freedom is coming tomorrow. May our children rest in peace. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

    • Alternate versions
      Exclusive Director's Cut is available on laserdisc and features 15 minutes of additional footage not shown in theaters.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Sister Act/Encino Man/Alien³/Far and Away (1992)
    • Soundtracks
      One More Time
      Written by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford

      Sung by James Ingram

    User reviews23

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    A must see movie
    I believe Sarafina is a tremendous effort of Whoopi Goldberg. Besides her, there are no other stars in the film and her role is smaller than the title character, Sarafina. Since I work in a high school with urban children, I think this is an important film to show South African history of apartheid. Sarafina is a movie about education and a teacher's relationship with her student, Sarafina. I bought the video for practically nothing at a videostore. I watched it and fast forwarded through the musical numbers. But I strongly recommend this film to educators and their students to understand. Now while I don't know the other actors and actresses in the film, I assume that they are very popular in South Africa and I am glad that they filmed with a South African cast and crew with the exception of Goldberg in a small role but if it gets people to see this movie, than Whoopi reaches worldwide appeal.
    helpful•8
    3
    • Sylviastel
    • Dec 3, 2001

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 25, 1992 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • South Africa
      • United Kingdom
      • France
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Zulu
    • Also known as
      • Сарафина!
    • Filming locations
      • Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa
    • Production companies
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
      • Distant Horizon
      • Hollywood Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,306,242
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $76,488
      • Sep 20, 1992
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,306,242
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 57 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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