Mama Africa (2011)

Mama Africa (2011) poster

Miriam Makeba was one of the first African musicians who won international stardom and whose music was always anchored in her traditional South African roots. Miriam Makeba was forced into exile in 1959. She sang for John F. Kennedy, performed with Harry Belafonte and Nina Simone, was married to Hugh Masekela and also Stokely Carmichael. Her life was tumultuous. She always stood for truth and justice. She fought for the oppressed most importantly for black Africans, as a campaigner against apartheid. She died November 2008 after a concert in Italy. Mika Kaurismäki's documentary, traces fifty years of her music and her performing life. Through rare archive footage of her performances and through interviews with her contemporaries we discover the remarkable journey of Miriam Makeba.

Director: Mika Kaurismäki
Genre: Drama, Documentary
Runtime: 92 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Production: Starhaus Filmproduktion, ZDF, ARTE, Marianna Films, YLE, Millennium Film
Country: Finland, France, Germany, South Africa
Language: English, Français
Original Language: en

Trailer

Mama Africa Trailer
More Films by Director: Mika Kaurismäki
More Films in Genre: Drama, Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mama Africa about?
Miriam Makeba was one of the first African musicians who won international stardom and whose music was always anchored in her traditional South African roots. Miriam Makeba was forced into exile in 1959. She sang for John F. Kennedy, performed with Harry Belafonte and Nina Simone, was married to Hugh Masekela and also Stokely Carmichael. Her life was tumultuous. She always stood for truth and justice. She fought for the oppressed most importantly for black Africans, as a campaigner against apartheid. She died November 2008 after a concert in Italy. Mika Kaurismäki's documentary, traces fifty years of her music and her performing life. Through rare archive footage of her performances and through interviews with her contemporaries we discover the remarkable journey of Miriam Makeba.
Who directed Mama Africa?
Mama Africa was directed by Mika Kaurismäki.
Who stars in Mama Africa?
Mama Africa stars Miriam Makeba, Harry Belafonte, Kathleen Cleaver, Nelson Mandela, Kwame Ture, Leopoldo Fleming.
How long is Mama Africa?
Mama Africa has a runtime of 1h 32m (92 minutes).
What genre is Mama Africa?
Mama Africa is a Drama, Documentary film.
Where was Mama Africa produced?
Mama Africa was produced in Finland, France, Germany, South Africa.