U-Carmen

Bizet's opera Carmen, the story of a magnetic woman who seduces, loves and ultimately destroys her lover and herself, is well known. Director Mark Dornford-May transplants the familiar story to the modern South African township of Khayelitsha, and mixes Bizet’s formidable score with traditional South African music – the story is performed in Xhosa. The result is a smart and unforgettable film that speaks to the timelessness of the opera’s story, and newcomer Pauline Malefane is downright sensational as Carmen.