---
title: 'Mapantsula (1988)'
type: 'film'
director: 'Oliver Schmitz'
released: '1988-01-01'
runtime_minutes: 104
genres:
  - 'Drama'
countries:
  - 'South Africa'
  - 'United Kingdom'
canonical: 'https://cinepixo.com/movies/mapantsula-1988'
review_count: 0
imdb: 'https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095587/'
publisher: 'CinePixo'
---

# Mapantsula (1988)

1988 · 104 min · Drama · South Africa, United Kingdom


## Synopsis

Mapantsula is a 1988 South African crime film directed by Oliver Schmitz and written by Schmitz and Thomas Mogotlane. It tells the story of Johannes 'Panic' Themba Mzolo (Mogotlane), a small-time thief, set against the backdrop of Apartheid. The film's use of flashbacks between Panic's time at the hands of his apartheid jailor 'Stander' and happenings in the Johannesburg township of Soweto display the injustices black South Africans suffered during apartheid and their struggle for suffrage. The film makes extensive use of political rallies, police brutality, and racial difference to example the effects of apartheid on black South Africans. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. The film was selected as the South African entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.

## Credits

- **Director:** [Oliver Schmitz](https://cinepixo.com/people/oliver-schmitz)
- **Screenplay:** [Oliver Schmitz](https://cinepixo.com/people/oliver-schmitz), [Thomas Mogotlane](https://cinepixo.com/people/thomas-mogotlane)
- **Producer:** [David Hannay](https://cinepixo.com/people/david-hannay)

## Cast

- [Marcel van Heerden](https://cinepixo.com/people/marcel-van-heerden)

## Criticism on CinePixo

No reviews published yet.

Source: https://cinepixo.com/movies/mapantsula-1988
Film facts: Wikidata (Q6753775); synopsis from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Reviews, themes and notes are the work of this site's members.