Portal:African cinema/Selected score/7
Tsotsi, a 2005 crime drama film written and directed by Gavin Hood. It is based on a novel of the same name by Athol Fugard. The film follows the story of a young Johannesburg street boy whose life takes an unexpected turn after he steals a car and discovers a baby in the backseat. The film was praised for its “powerful storytelling and emotional depth”. The film’s soundtrack showcases Kwaito music performance by South African artist Zola and the afropop groupMafikizolo.
Kwaito music is a music genre that emerged in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 1980s. Despite its similarities to hip hop music, kwaito has a distinctive manner in which the lyrics are sung, rapped and shouted. The musical score composed by Mark Kilian and Paul Hepker incorporates the vocals of renowned South African singer and poet, Vusi Mahlasela.
It received a score of 82% on Rotten tomatoes and a score of 70 out of 100 on Metacritic. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards, becoming the first African film in a language other than French to achieve this feat.