U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (2005)

Director:

Mark Dornford-May

Writers:

Ludovic Halévy (opera)
Mark Dornford-May
(more)

Release Date:

1 April 2005 (Greece)

Genre:

Musical | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A version of Georges Bizet's Carmen, set in a modern-day South African township.

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Murder | Opera Singer | Flashback | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Pauline Malefane	...	Carmen
Andile Tshoni	...	Jongikhaya
Lungelwa Blou	...	Nomakhaya
Zweilungile Sidloyi	...	Lulamile Nkomo (as Zorro Sidloyi)
Andries Mbali	...	Bra Nkomo
Zamile Gantana	...	Captain Gantana
Andiswa Kedama	...	Amanda
Ruby Mthethwa	...	Pinki
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ross Garland	...	Policeman

Directed by
Mark Dornford-May

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mark Dornford-May
Ludovic Halévy		opera libretto "Carmen"
Andiswa Kedama
Pauline Malefane
Henri Meilhac		opera libretto "Carmen"
Prosper Mérimée		novella (uncredited)

Produced by
Mark Dornford-May	....	producer
Lucinda Englehart	....	associate producer
Ross Garland	....	executive producer
Ross Garland	....	producer
Niki Hall-Jones	....	line producer
Tanya Wagner	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Giulio Biccari

Film Editing by
Ronelle Loots

Production Design by
Craig Smith

Costume Design by
Jessica Dornford-May

Makeup Department
Jack Dagogo	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Randy Crabb	....	production manager
Nicci Van Niekerk	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claire Letoret	....	first assistant director
Trish Wylie	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Henry Louw	....	property master

Sound Department
Carmen Borgia	....	sound re-recording mixer
Barry Donnelly	....	dialogue editor
Barry Donnelly	....	sound designer
Barry Donnelly	....	sound editor
Barry Donnelly	....	sound effects editor
Simon Rice	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Sarel Eloff	....	additional cinematographer
Kenny Fisher	....	chief lighting technician
Guy Hodgen	....	first assistant camera
Justin Youens	....	camera operator: "b" camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Leonie Roberts	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Nerissa Black	....	post-production coordinator
Catherine Pantazopoulos	....	colorist
Jonene van Zyl	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Charles Hazlewood	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Peter Ndifon	....	unit transport manager

Other crew
Ozren K. Glaser	....	production coordinator
Sharifa Ismail	....	accountant
Joel Mthethwa	....	choreographer
Rob Muir	....	title designer: opening titles
J.C. Smuts	....	production coordinator
Neil Stuart	....	title designer
Ria Van Heerden	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Spier Films

Distributors

• 1More Film (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• ID Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Koch Lorber Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Look Now! (2005-2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• EuroVideo (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Koch Lorber Films (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Pelicanfilms (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Imbumba Symphony Orchestra  music performed by

Also Known As:

"U-Carmen" - South Africa (English title) (DVD title)

Runtime:

Germany:120 min | USA:122 min

Country:

South Africa

Language:

Xhosa

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:PG

Filming Locations:

Khayelitsha, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Company:

Spier Films

Movie Connections:

Version of Carmen (1933)

Soundtrack:

Carmen

Marvellous debut from a director who outshines established Directors Francesco Rosi and Carlos Suara

I had seen two of the most fascinating film versions of "Carmen" in the mid-Eighties: (a) Francesco Rosi's Italian version that won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award with two of the most accomplished tenors (Placido Domingo and Ruggero Raimondi) playing leads roles that had spoken dialogs to punctuate the singing, and (b) Carlos Suara's Spanish version with flamingo dancers that won a Prize at Montreal film festival and a Bodil award for the Best European film. It was difficult to conceive that another production could be made to outshine either of these. Yet here was a South African director making a version of Carmen (his debut at that) in South Africa's tongue clicking Xhosa language capturing all the elements of accomplished filmmakers Rosi and Suara with a felicity of a veteran filmmaker to walk way with a Golden Bear at the Berlin Festival this year.

A bullfight in Cape Town shantytown suburbs? Director Mark Dornford-May suggests the bullfight with a single shot of a bull in a paddock, an actor holding a dagger, and the sound of an animal in pain—nothing else. Sex is suggested off-screen, never shown. The story and music of the Opera Carmen is retained religiously with local color thrown in: a Bible-reading police sergeant who had earlier killed his own brother and glibly lied to his own mother and police about the incident, women who taunt men in almost equal terms, and the singing talent of black South Africans. This was a major film at the just concluded Dubai International Film Festival.

There are two ways to enjoy the film: (a) Imbibe the variation of presenting the famous musical work in an unusual setting and (b) savor the film as a documentary of modern-day urban South Africa without the music/operatic songs. Either way you will have a treat. I have been to South Africa and what is shown is very close to reality.

The film belongs to the lead actress Pauline Melafane who exudes sensuality, without having to take off her clothes and is the epitome of the opening line: " ..for every fault she had a quality that came out from the contrast…" Her screen presence is incredible and outshines all Carmens on screen to date that I have seen. She is able to blend tragedy and cocky image of a college going student (forget that she is playing an illiterate shantytown dweller!).

Director Dornford-May achieves two objectives with this work: he proves Bizet's Carmen is universal not mere European and that opera can be well produced in obscure languages if there was a will and talent. Bizet would have been proud. The red (the primal color of bullfights) color comes to the fore only in the finale as the color worn by the women and the sheet covering the dead. To win a Golden Bear for a debut film is no mean achievement—more so when the experiment has been attempted by others in the past. The director injected realism in this film, not being limited to mere romance and gallantry—in fact Carmen's lover in this film is an anti-hero, a liar, and a modern-day Cain seeking forgiveness. Rosi and Suara need to take a back seat!