U-Carmen

A FILM BY Mark Dornford-May

A piece of arthouse genius!
-THE TIMES OF LONDON
A rousing and imaginative contemporary adaptation of the 19th century George Bizet opera.
-Tom Dawson, BBC
Classic opera travels to contemporary South Africa and finds a comfortable home amid a shantytown setting.
-Russell Edwards, VARIETY

Synopsis

The most-performed opera in the world gets a new spin in U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, which sets the famous opera Carmen in modern-day South Africa. The music, translated and sung in Xhosa and mixed with traditional song, gives the film a thrilling synthesis of Xhosa culture and European opera, while still telling the age-old story of love and obsession, duty and desire, jealousy, revenge and madness.

Theatrical Release Date

Original Languages: Xhosa
Genre: Drama, World Cinema
Running Time: 120 min.
Year: 2005

CREDITS

CAST
Andiswa Kedama
Andries Mbali
Pauline Malefane
DIRECTED BY
Mark Dornford-May

PHOTOS

Amanda (Andiswa Kedama) in U-CARMEN EKHAYELITSHA
Lulamile (Zorro Sidloyi), the famous singer in U-CARMEN EKHAYELITSHA
Carmen (Pauline Malefane) in U-CARMEN EKHAYELITSHA
Welcome to SEVILLE sign in U-CARMEN EKHAYELITSHA