Sarafina

Darrell Roodt was the director of the iconic Sarafina film. Themba Maseko. They had the passion for storytelling, an eagerness to learn and a desire to make ...

We used to joke about who was the baddest baddie and I think Barker was the baddest baddie. “Over the years we would meet and we would joke about playing bad guys because I was Barker and he was David Genaro on Rhythm City on the other channel. It is a very painful part of our history as a country.” “Oh, I remember Somizi and even then, he was a firecracker. I would tell her to look down at her toes then lift her head and cry, she did it so beautifully. I had to give them a good talking to, and we were fine after that,” he says. But Sarafina is a once in a lifetime kind of film. It is disturbing to see some of them so down and out.” “I remember directing her on Sarafina and learning that she is the kind of actress that needs you tell them precisely what you want, and she will deliver. It has been thirty years since he directed his “once in a lifetime” film, Sarafina and director Darrell Roodt remembers it all like it were yesterday. It was shot in Soweto as South Africa transitioned out of the grip of apartheid. When we were shooting the movie they were so into it that they did not need much direction.