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Sophiatown

2003, English. Directed by Pascale Lamche.

Little Bird's first South African production, SOPHIATOWN has won the award for Best Documentary at the Cape Town World Cinema Festival 2003. SOPHIATOWN celebrates the great popular jazz music of the 1950's in South Africa; a rich tradition deserving international attention. Director Pascale Lamche, traces the music, uncovers the artists who created it and the unique culture in which it thrived, concentrated in Sophiatown, Johannesburg's own Harlem, which fuelled by liberation politics until its destruction by the Apartheid regime. The film features Nelson Mandela and such household names from the jazz world as Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Abdullah Ibrahim, Jonas Gwangwa and Caiphus Semenya.

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Runtime
1h 22m
Post-credits
None listed
Language
English
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Sophiatown isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 16 August 2003.

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Details

Released
16 August 2003
Country
United Kingdom, Ireland
Written by
Pascale Lamche
jazzmusicianafricagangstersouth africaapartheidwoman director

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Sophiatown runs 82 minutes (1h 22m).

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Sophiatown isn’t streaming on any OTT platform in India yet; it released on 16 August 2003. (Checked 10 November 2026.)

What movies are like Sophiatown?

If you liked Sophiatown, try Sarafina!, Sweet and Lowdown, Escape from Pretoria.

Who directed Sophiatown?

Sophiatown (2003) was directed by Pascale Lamche and stars Jonas Gwangwa, Abdullah Ibrahim, Nelson Mandela.

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