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Tsotsi
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Tsotsi (2005) -- US Home Video Trailer from Miramax
Tsotsi (2005) -- US Home Video Extra (Clip) from Miramax
Tsotsi (2005) -- Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader (Chweneyagae).
Tsotsi (2005) -- US Home Video Extra (Clip) from Miramax
Tsotsi (2005) -- US Home Video Extra (Clip) from Miramax

Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   11,357 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 11% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Gavin Hood
Writers:
Athol Fugard (novel)
Gavin Hood (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Tsotsi on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 December 2005 (South Africa) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
In this world... redemption just comes once. more
Plot:
Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader (Chweneyagae). full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 13 wins & 12 nominations more
User Comments:
Truly Moving Picture more

Cast

  (in credits order)
Presley Chweneyagae ... David / Tsotsi
Terry Pheto ... Miriam
Kenneth Nkosi ... Aap
Mothusi Magano ... Boston
Zenzo Ngqobe ... Butcher
Zola ... Fela
Rapulana Seiphemo ... John Dube
Nambitha Mpumlwana ... Pumla Dube
Jerry Mofokeng ... Morris
Ian Roberts ... Captain Smit
Percy Matsemela ... Sergeant Zuma
Thembi Nyandeni ... Soekie
Owen Sejake ... Gumboot Dlamini
Israel Makoe ... David / Tsotsi's father
Sindi Khambule ... David / Tsotsi's Mother
Benny Moshe ... Young David / Tsotsi
Bheki Vilakazi ... Newspaper Vendor
Craig Palm ... Young Cop
Jeremiah Ndlovu ... Old Man at the Tap
Sibusiso Mkize ... Young Aap
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mbali Khumalo
Marven Lekohotsa
Capieus Manamela ... Gang
Lennox Mathabathe ... Policemen
Katleoo Matidune ... Little boy
Joyce Moshoshoe ... Gang
Edward Oliphant ... Gang
Brian Rolfe ... Officer
Tumi Sejake ... Little girl
Monthuthu Sibisi ... Baby
Ntuthuko Sibisi ... Baby
Ismael Songo ... Gang
Moses Timati ... Gang
Lindokuhle Tloubatla ... Myriam's Baby
Samuel Tsebe ... Old kid
Enoch Tsotetsi ... Gang
Eduan van Jaarsveldt ... Policeman
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Directed by
Gavin Hood 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Athol Fugard  novel
Gavin Hood  written by

Produced by
Sam Bhembe .... executive producer
Joseph D'Morais .... executive producer
Janine Eser .... associate producer
Liza Essers .... co-executive producer
Basil Ford .... executive producer
Henrietta Fudakowski .... associate producer
Peter Fudakowski .... producer
Alan Howden .... executive producer
Gavin Joubert .... line producer
Robert Little .... executive producer (as Robbie Little)
Rupert Lywood .... executive producer
Doug Mankoff .... executive producer
Paul Raleigh .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
Paul Hepker 
Mark Kilian 
 
Cinematography by
Lance Gewer 
 
Film Editing by
Megan Gill 
 
Casting by
Moonyeenn Lee 
 
Production Design by
Emilia Roux  (as Emelia Weavind)
 
Art Direction by
Mark Walker 
 
Set Decoration by
Nhlanhla Bhengu 
 
Costume Design by
Nadia Kruger 
Pierre Vienings 
 
Makeup Department
Tania Brooke .... key hair stylist
Tania Brooke .... key makeup artist
 
Production Management
Nerissa Black .... post-production manager
Candice Tennant .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Kellond .... first assistant director
Phillip Mosoeu .... third assistant director
Dylan Speer .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Francis Grewe .... construction foreman
Michael Hyman .... lead scenic
Charles Keylock .... graffiti artist
Raymond Muller .... construction foreman
Luke Searle .... graffiti artist
James Lee Taylor .... property master (as James Taylor)
Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson .... draftsman (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Shaun Murdoch .... sound mixer
Jim Petrak .... adr engineer
Jim Petrak .... sound re-recording mixer
Alexander Saacks .... sound re-recording mixer
Jeremy Saacks .... sound re-recording mixer
Julie Vandenberg .... supervising sound editor (as Juli Vandenberg)
 
Special Effects by
Davin Dullisear .... special effects foreman
Cordell McQueen .... special effects coordinator
Graham Press .... prosthetics
 
Visual Effects by
Isaac Lui .... lead animator
Cyril Schumann .... lead effects compositor
 
Stunts
Vadim Dobrin .... stunts
Kerry Gregg .... stunts
Cordell McQueen .... stunt coordinator
Wayne Smith .... stunts
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Marc Brower .... camera operator
Sarel Pretorius .... steadicam operator
Deon Vermeulen .... Steadicam operator
Oliver Wilter .... gaffer
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gillian Castle .... wardrobe mistress
 
Editorial Department
George Chavez .... color timer
Brett Manson .... digital intermediate colorist
Louise Mycielski .... post-production coordinator
Pravashanee Reddy .... first assistant editor
Carina Steyl .... post-production coordinator
 
Music Department
Casey Stone .... music scoring mixer
 
Other crew
Mia Bays .... marketing and distribution
Maureen Conway .... script supervisor
Janine Eser .... script editor
Jaco Espach .... location manager
Henrietta Fudakowski .... script editor
Monica Keys .... production coordinator
Hakan Kousetta .... production legal advisor
Cyril Schumann .... title designer
Pete Smith .... chief armorer
Laura Vogt .... production accountant
Leila Wreyford .... title designer
 
Thanks
Matthew W. Davis .... special thanks
 

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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Thug (International: English title) (literal English title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language and some strong violent content.
Runtime:
USA:94 min | Canada:94 min (Toronto International Film Festival)
Country:
UK | South Africa
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This is the first Miramax release since founders Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein left the company. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: When Tsotsi enters the room of the kidnapped child, you can see (on the right hand side) that the wall paper is false. more
Quotes:
Morris: [after hearing a defining moment in Tsotsi/David's childhood] What kind of bastard would break a dog's back? more
Soundtrack:
Zingu 7 more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
55 out of 96 people found the following comment useful:-
Truly Moving Picture, 26 January 2006
10/10
Author: tollini from United States

I saw this film on January 19th, 2006 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Film Festival that screens films for their Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

Tsotsi is a leader of an informal black criminal gang in South Africa. They are simply awful and inhuman and cruel and uncaring. We may understand why they act this way as we see the segregated black slums they live in, and, through flashbacks, their orphan-like upbringing, but you can't bring yourself to forgive them for what they have become. They are some of the worst thugs of the earth.

And then, a tipping point moment comes to the leader Tsotsi. As he commits a car theft from a wealthy neighborhood, he unknowingly kidnaps a baby. He can't bring himself to let the baby die.

Tsotsi clumsily attends to the baby in his small, tin can slum house. He becomes a hybrid human; that is, half good and half evil.

The drama of the film is the tension of not knowing how he will turn out. And he surely can go either way. His gang of friends are a noticeable contrast to where Tsotsi's head and morality is. They are pure evil.

The movie is sub-titled but there is not much dialog among these uneducated almost simpleminded underclass of young men. The powerful impact on the screen is created by the sordid environment and the realism in the facial expressions of the gang. The film is also driven cleverly by the African hip-hop like music.

The film looks at the question whether the worst of our humans on earth can change and tip back into being civilized.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

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