"Sarafina!" deals with a most sensitive and tragic topic: apartheid (think Jim Crow, but more repressive). Anyone familiar with South African apartheid knows exactly how oppressive, repressive, and suppressive it was. "Sarafina!" approaches the topic a little lighter than other movies have by making it a musical.
The character Sarafina was played by Leleti Khumalo. She was a school age girl who, like many students and youth in South Africa at the time, chose to oppose the apartheid regime in her own way. She, as well as other students, were supported in their opposition by their teacher Mary Masembuko (Whoopi Goldberg).
Movies like this are difficult to watch, though, like I mentioned, this was one of the lighter apartheid movies. Still, I think movies like this are so important to watch to validate the struggle of so many Black South Africans and give it the recognition it deserves.
The character Sarafina was played by Leleti Khumalo. She was a school age girl who, like many students and youth in South Africa at the time, chose to oppose the apartheid regime in her own way. She, as well as other students, were supported in their opposition by their teacher Mary Masembuko (Whoopi Goldberg).
Movies like this are difficult to watch, though, like I mentioned, this was one of the lighter apartheid movies. Still, I think movies like this are so important to watch to validate the struggle of so many Black South Africans and give it the recognition it deserves.