Oliver Schmitz
A lawyer takes on a case of a prison guard in South Africa who is traumatized by the executions he's witnessed.
Katrin can only dream of a happy family. Because the patchwork constellation with several involuntarily connected families puts their nerves to the test. To kitten the fragile relationship with her 14-year-old daughter Saskia, she has invited all family members to their confirmation. But Saskia has recently moved to her father and his new family, while the son of Katrins new partner Philipp has moved in with them and since then devastated Saskia's room and Katrins life. It is impossible to think of a harmonious everyday life, let alone a peaceful family celebration.
Bella is in a dilemma: She lives with her ex Martin and her new boyfriend Sebastian in a shared flat. Neither does she dare to pour Martin pure wine, nor to quit. Just when Bella has come to an end to the secrecy, a bad news arrives by phone: Two very good, mutual friends of Bella and Martin have been fatally injured. They leave Tom, a two-year-old boy. Bella does not hesitate: Martin and her will take care of the boy. But how should that work in the WG? And what about Bella's relationship with Sebastian?
A touching mother-daughter relationship that reflects the modern South Africa.
Marisa and Frank honeymoon in South Africa. A particularly favourable offer lures them to a lonely and run-down hotel. There, they are attacked by men. Frank is beaten and kidnapped, while Marisa barely escapes. She receives help from the young South African Biko, who helps her to escape the men. Marisa and Biko find out that people are abducted to be cannibalized for the trade in organs. Finally, the two try to find frank and save him.
Olivier Assayas, Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven and Alfonso Cuaron are among the 20 distinguished directors who contribute to this collection of 18 stories, each exploring a different aspect of Parisian life. The colourful characters in this drama include a pair of mimes, a husband trying to chose between his wife and his lover, and a married man who turns to a prostitute for advice.
Mark Demski (Jan Sosniok) discovers his girlfriend is cheating on him and thinks it has happened because of his small penis. Sad, he dumps the girl and promises himself never again to fall in love, but he fails. When he encounters Lara Singer (Doreen Jacobi) he must fight with his own fears.
Far from Hollywood eye candy, this movie has a taste of South African authenticity. No high budget action, no pretenses, just the minimum needed to support the plot that takes the audience on a journey across various aspects of contemporary South African society, most often in a humorous way. Critics about car chases and special effects are completely missing the point of that movie. It mostly revolves about the culture shock of an educated black taking a plunge into Soweto gangster culture. I found the characters quite attaching and I felt refreshed after viewing this exotic piece. I recommend it if you are looking for a simple and out of the ordinary movie.
Mapantsula tells the story of Panic, a petty gangster who inevitably becomes caught up in the growing anti-apartheid struggle and has to choose between individual gain and a united stand against the system.
