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Mapantsula

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Mapantsula

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Mapantsula is a 1988 South African crime film directed by Oliver Schmitz and written by Schmitz and Thomas Mogotlane. It tells the story of Johannes 'Panic' Themba Mzolo (Mogotlane), a small-time thief, set against the backdrop of Apartheid. The film's use of flashbacks between Panic's time at the hands of his apartheid jailor 'Stander' (Marcel Van Heerden) and happenings in the Johannesburg township of Soweto display the injustices black South Africans suffered during apartheid and their struggle for suffrage. The film makes extensive use of political rallies, police brutality, and racial dif

Film · TMDB

7.1

A petty gangster inevitably becomes involved in the growing anti-apartheid struggle and is forced to choose between individual gain and a united stand against the system.

Released: 1988-05-21104 minDir: Oliver SchmitzCrime, DramaBox office: $5,525

Cast

  • Thomas Mogotlane as Panic
  • Marcel Van Heerden as Stander
  • Thembi Mtshali as Pat
  • Dolly Rathebe as Ma Mobise
  • Peter Sephuma as Duma
  • Darlington Michaels as Dingaan

Themes

  • gangster
  • south africa
  • apartheid
  • organized crime
  • sexploitation
  • anti-apartheid

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Ratings

IMDb

6.8/10

301 votes

Year
1988
Runtime
104 min
Genres
Crime, Drama

via IMDb

Wikidata facts

Duration
104
Show 2 more facts
publication date
1989-08-24
title
Mapantsula
Sources (4)

via Wikidata · CC0

~11 min read

Article

9 sections
Contents
  • Plot
  • Cast
  • Music
  • Themes
  • Release
  • Reception
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

Mapantsula is a 1988 South African crime film directed by Oliver Schmitz and written by Schmitz and Thomas Mogotlane. It tells the story of Johannes 'Panic' Themba Mzolo (Mogotlane), a small-time thief, set against the backdrop of Apartheid. The film's use of flashbacks between Panic's time at the hands of his apartheid jailor 'Stander' (Marcel Van Heerden) and happenings in the Johannesburg township of Soweto display the injustices black South Africans suffered during apartheid and their struggle for suffrage. The film makes extensive use of political rallies, police brutality, and racial difference to example the effects of apartheid on black South Africans. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. The film was selected as the South African entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

==Plot==

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