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On 18 July, I got to celebrate Nelson Mandela Day by watching the remastered version of Sarafina! at Cape Town's Labia cinema. Thirty years after its premiere in 1992, the film returns to cinemas on 11 August 2023. The original movie is unchanged but is now in higher definition and has improved sound quality. At the end of the film is a clip from the South African premiere, featuring interviews with Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Sipho Mabuse and other famous South Africans. Mabuse could barely compose himself after viewing the film, struggling to put his adoration into comprehensible sentences.
Now I have to admit something that I'm embarrassed about: before 18 July 2023, I had never seen the iconic film. Despite all the times it came on television, I never tuned in to watch this piece of South African culture. Someone even told me that I haven't truly seen Sarafina! unless I watched the entire film with the e.tv logo in the corner, along with 20 ad breaks. I suppose viewing an uninterrupted HD version of the film on a large screen isn't enough to get the full experience. But despite the film being older than me and looking undeniably dated, Sarafina! still holds relevance for South Africa today.
Sarafina! now feels like a tribute to the legacy of Mandela. Viewing it a decade after Mandela's passing, Sarafina's admiration for him feels contemporary since South Africans' reverence for him has only strengthened. Though Mandela was only mortal and had his own personal flaws, he is still held up as a paragon of virtue and a role model. The main character embodies our want to keep his spirit alive and to be more like him. She even becomes Mandela in the final scene.
Sarafina! puts the spotlight on young women and their important role in the liberation struggle. Sarafina and her classmates show intense resilience in the film, even after experiencing the targeted brutality of the Apartheid state. Though the film (and the play it is based on) had yet to see the day South Africa would be truly democratic, it shows how the indomitable human spirit still overcomes even the greatest adversity.
The film's music reflects the different ways that the characters react to oppression. At first, Sarafina uses music as escapism, imagining herself as a movie star, living a life away from poverty and struggle. When the students are fed up with violence and tyranny, they use music as protest and to rebel against the state. When sent to prison, they use music to stay resilient, despite the police trying to break their spirits. At the end, music is used to express hope and even victory. Despite being tortured and having their peers killed, Sarafina and her classmates are still hopeful. The film was released at a time when change was imminent in SA, and the cautious optimism of the time is reflected in the film.
The movie starts off almost dreamlike, with Sarafina's jubilant personality being quite infectious. There's a lot of humour and even some silliness early on. So, when tragedy strikes and the true brutality of the Apartheid government is displayed, it is all the more devastating. You're watching students' youth being taken from them as they take their place in the country's battle for democracy. The depiction of state-enforced violence and white racism is unflinching. When this harsh reality takes over, it feels like the music disappears.
Admittedly, as a film, Sarafina! isn't perfect. It still suffers from pacing issues and a bloated runtime. Some elements of the film, like the dialogue, do not translate well from the stage to the screen. It starts and ends strong but drags in the middle; some scenes even feel like a chore to watch. But overall, it's still captivating viewing. I just wish Miriam Makeba had more screen time.
The remastered Sarafina! made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival this year, just like it made its first debut at Cannes a little more than three decades ago. It speaks to the impact and relevance of the film in today's context, and not just for South Africa. Sarafina! is a relic of its time, but that adds to its charm. It's worth revisiting, and there's no better way to do it that in the cinema, even though watching it on e.tv comes close.
