Beats of the Heart: Rhythm of Resistance (1979)

• 60%
• 1979
• Jeremy Marre

This award-winning film was one of the inspirations for Paul Simon's Graceland album and his acclaimed collaboration with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Although much music making by black South Africans was politically suppressed at the time, the authentic joys and sorrows of this music come unforgettably alive in these emotional and exuberant performances. From racist DJs to the haunting harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. From Zulu workers performing their secret ritual war dances to the dynamic live performances of The Mahotella Queens and Abafana in segregated townships; from Philip Tabane and Malombo in the studio to the ludicrous censorship of the radio stations; and from the fearless duo of Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu (Juluka) - who combat apartheid with their subtle lyrics - to the all night song contests in black workers' hostels: this, one of the most renowned and ironic sequences to appear in any music documentary.