Mama Africa

Synopsis

Miriam Makeba was one of the first African musicians who won international stardom and whose music was always anchored in her traditional South African roots. Miriam Makeba was forced into exile in 1959. She sang for John F. Kennedy, performed with Harry Belafonte and Nina Simone, was married to Hugh Masekela and also Stokely Carmichael. Her life was tumultuous. She always stood for truth and justice. She fought for the oppressed most importantly for black Africans, as a campaigner against apartheid. She died November 2008 after a concert in Italy. Mika Kaurismäki's documentary, traces fifty years of her music and her performing life. Through rare archive footage of her performances and through interviews with her contemporaries we discover the remarkable journey of Miriam Makeba.

Main Cast

Miriam Makeba

Self (archive footage)

Age : 76 | Popularity : 26%

Harry Belafonte

Self (archive footage)

Age : N/A | Popularity : 20%

Kathleen Cleaver

Self

Age : N/A | Popularity : 13%

Nelson Mandela

Self (archive footage)

Age : N/A | Popularity : 28%

Stokely Carmichael

Self (archive footage)

Age : N/A | Popularity : 16%

Leopoldo Fleming

Self

Age : N/A | Popularity : 1%

Lorraine Gordon

Self

Age : N/A | Popularity : 2%

Crew

Department	Role	Name
Directing	Director	Mika Kaurismäki
Writing	Writer	Don Edkins Mika Kaurismäki
Department	Role	Name

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