Feb 27th  
Sarafina!**   
(US/GB/Fra/South Africa 1992)
Hollywood Pictures/Miramax/Distant Horizon. 98m.

A Soweto schoolgirl dreams of becoming a star amidst the background against the Apartheid regime.
Refreshingly unusual political musical which works best away from the violent moments by expressing its political points in song and dance.

Written by: William Nicholson, Mbongeni Ngema, based on his stage musical. 
Producer: Anant Singh.
Director: Darrell James Roodt.
Starring: Leleti Khumalo, Whoopi Goldberg, Miriam Makeba, Mbongeni Ngema, Dumisani Diomini, John Kani, Sipho Kunene.
Photography: Mark Vicente.
Music: Stanley Myers.
Songs: Mbongeni Ngema, Hugh Masekala.
Choreography: Mbongeni Ngema, Michael Peters.

Preceded by:
The Perils of Pauline*
(Chapter 1: Trial by Fire)
(US 1914. Electic Films. 29m. bw; First instalment of the quintessential damsel in distress story in serial form, quite daringly film in places and with sincere enough performances within its rudimentary melodramatic function.; w: Charles W. Goddard, George B. Seitz; d: Louis J. Gasnier, Donald MacKenzie; s: Pearl White, Crane Wilbur, Paul Panzer, Francis Carlyle; ph: Arthur C. Miller.)

(US 1914.