13-year-old Felix Xaba dreams of becoming a saxophonist like his late father, but his mother Lindiwe thinks jazz is the devil's music. When Felix leaves his township friends to take up a scholarship for grade eight at an elitist private school, he defies his mother and turns to two aging members of his father's old band to help him prepare for the school jazz concert.
Acting
The two aging musicians steal every scene with crusty warmth.
Direction
Roberta Durrant balances township authenticity without poverty porn.
Score
Live sax performances that actually sound played by a 13-year-old learning.
Director
Roberta Durrant
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Filmed in actual Cape Flats townships, using local jazz legends in supporting roles. The apartheid-era jazz censorship referenced was real—Lindiwe's fears weren't entirely unfounded.
Director Roberta Durrant fought to cast an unknown who could actually play sax rather than fake it. Hlonipha Mthembu trained for eight months.
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