Seasoned actress Leleti Khumalo says watching herself on the re-mastered version of Sarafina! yesterday felt like it did 31 years ago.
The film came out in 1992, featuring stars such as John Kani, Whoopi Goldberg, Miriam Makeba and Mbongeni Ngema, among others.
Khumalo still remembers how they had fun while learning the choreography and music.
The re-mastered version premiered on Thursday and is set to hit local cinemas nationwide from today. The film is featured at this year’s 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France.
Speaking to Sowetan just ahead of the premiere on Thursday, Khumalo said: “It feels so new as If I did it yesterday. It feels so new to me, when I watch it. I still remember vividly everything... the atmosphere. It just brings different emotions. Right now, we have lost a lot of people who were part of Sarafina! and that alone is emotional.
“We had people like Miriam Makeba, Whoopie Goldberg and John Kani, who had a lot of experience, while for us it was our first movie. They really protected us as actors and children as much as they were our colleagues. They shaped us in such a way that when we entered the industry we knew how to behave. Whoopi was an international star but she did not like to be treated like that. One day she asked everyone not to treat her differently because she was not a star. She told them that the young lady [Leleti] was the star.”
Though Sarafina! has a powerful storyline, what enhances the story is the singing and dance moves. Khumalo shared with Sowetan that they had to learn to sing, dance and act in eight weeks while preparing for a stage show.
“We were raw coming from KZN and we had to prepare ourselves mentally, physically and otherwise. But for the movie they brought in Michael Peters from Los Angeles. He had to make the whole movement look international.”
Asked if Sarafina! is still relevant, Khumalo said: “Sarafina! will always be relevant because of the history and message. When we were shooting the movie, we never thought we were shooting such a big movie. Even the producers were not aware.
"Because of the message, this movie will always be relevant. It is about how we got our freedom and how it touches on the Struggle of students in 1976. We need to keep telling that kind of history to younger generations so that they know that someone died for them to have this freedom.”
Veteran actor goes down memory lane
Leleti beams as Sarafina! returns to cinemas
Image: supplied
Seasoned actress Leleti Khumalo says watching herself on the re-mastered version of Sarafina! yesterday felt like it did 31 years ago.
The film came out in 1992, featuring stars such as John Kani, Whoopi Goldberg, Miriam Makeba and Mbongeni Ngema, among others.
Khumalo still remembers how they had fun while learning the choreography and music.
The re-mastered version premiered on Thursday and is set to hit local cinemas nationwide from today. The film is featured at this year’s 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France.
Speaking to Sowetan just ahead of the premiere on Thursday, Khumalo said: “It feels so new as If I did it yesterday. It feels so new to me, when I watch it. I still remember vividly everything... the atmosphere. It just brings different emotions. Right now, we have lost a lot of people who were part of Sarafina! and that alone is emotional.
“We had people like Miriam Makeba, Whoopie Goldberg and John Kani, who had a lot of experience, while for us it was our first movie. They really protected us as actors and children as much as they were our colleagues. They shaped us in such a way that when we entered the industry we knew how to behave. Whoopi was an international star but she did not like to be treated like that. One day she asked everyone not to treat her differently because she was not a star. She told them that the young lady [Leleti] was the star.”
Though Sarafina! has a powerful storyline, what enhances the story is the singing and dance moves. Khumalo shared with Sowetan that they had to learn to sing, dance and act in eight weeks while preparing for a stage show.
“We were raw coming from KZN and we had to prepare ourselves mentally, physically and otherwise. But for the movie they brought in Michael Peters from Los Angeles. He had to make the whole movement look international.”
Asked if Sarafina! is still relevant, Khumalo said: “Sarafina! will always be relevant because of the history and message. When we were shooting the movie, we never thought we were shooting such a big movie. Even the producers were not aware.
"Because of the message, this movie will always be relevant. It is about how we got our freedom and how it touches on the Struggle of students in 1976. We need to keep telling that kind of history to younger generations so that they know that someone died for them to have this freedom.”
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