Otelo Burning
Otelo Burning

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- 73/100 based on 82 votes

When 16 year old Otelo Buthelezi, his best friend, New Year, and his 12 year old brother, Ntwe, are invited to the beach-house of their new friend, Tau Modise, they step into a world previously closed to them. It is exactly the opposite of their township- a place under a constant and growing threat from political violence, driven by Inkatha hostel dwellers on one side and township United Democratic Front comrades on the other. Soon, everyone recognizes that Otelo is gifted on... (Full plot summary below)

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Actors in Otelo Burning:

Jafta Mamabolo
Thomas Gumede
Sihle Xaba
Tshepang Mohlomi

Full Plot Details

When 16 year old Otelo Buthelezi, his best friend, New Year, and his 12 year old brother, Ntwe, are invited to the beach-house of their new friend, Tau Modise, they step into a world previously closed to them. It is exactly the opposite of their township- a place under a constant and growing threat from political violence, driven by Inkatha hostel dwellers on one side and township United Democratic Front comrades on the other. Soon, everyone recognizes that Otelo is gifted on the water, a god in waiting for his purpose. An older white man, Kurt Struely, approaches the boys, certain of their potential and invites them to his home to watch some professional surfers on video. He paints them an enticing picture of the life to be had, if they can master every kind of break - money for nothing and the chicks for free. The boys practice and, under Struely's watchful eye, become really good. Otelo outshines his teacher, Tau, who begins to resent the obvious natural talent of his friend. His resentment builds even more when Dezi, New Year's younger sister, falls for Otelo. When Struely enters the boys into their first 'localism' competition, Tau persuades his cousin, Stembiso, to look after Ntwe at the township pool where the boys learnt to swim. But while the boys are carving out new paradigms on the water, Tau breaks his prized surfing board and Ntwe is burnt to death with a tire necklace as a suspected informer for the apartheid security police. When Otelo, with New Year's help, discovers the truth behind his younger brother's death, he has to make a choice between the money, glamour, girls and superstardom of international surfdom and justice for Ntwe. On the day Nelson Mandela steps out of prison for the first time in 27 years, what this boy chooses will resonate for audiences everywhere. He whisks her off and they spend a day of pure joy and freedom. For a moment, Anna forgets her predicament. But there is one problem. He does not have a South African passport. Now Anna must choose: between marrying for the sake of personal freedom, or loving even if it means having to leave.

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Movie Reviews

New York Times - 7/10 by Neil GenzlingerMs. Blecher draws fine performances out of the young actors and, to her credit, sugarcoats nothing.
Film Journal International - 6/10 by Marsha McCreadieAs buoyant as the waves its heroes surf on, Otelo Burning uses water as metaphor for freedom for its black South African teens in 1988.
NPR - 6/10 by Joel ArnoldThe film presents a stark choice: seek escape in vengeance and blame, or gamble on the freedom gained by embracing a new world, however scarred it may be.
BET.com - 6/10 by Clay CaneA memorable story about kids who hold bigger dreams than what they are told and taught they could accomplish.
Antagony & Ecstasy - 5/10 by Tim BraytonA movie in which there is nothing but its unsentimental look at the waning days of apartheid to make it seem unlike a dozen other inspirational sports movies.
Village Voice - 4/10 by Michael AtkinsonTiresomely simple, the film introduces a subplot involving betrayal and political informants in the eleventh hour, but by then you're either smitten by these guileless Zulu lads experiencing "freedom" on the waves or you've checked out.
User Review - 10/10 by D TAmazing film with lessons for every age about choices, myths and discovering the real meaning of freedom! You'll want to see it over and over! The cinematography is breathtaking, and authentically captures an important time in history while entertaining.
User Review - 8/10 by Sitinga KA-mazing! Incredible performances by amateur actors in a heartfelt and elegantly simple story that will give teens a window into what it was like to be a young person in South Africa during the Apartheid.

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