Mama Africa

"I do not sing politics – I merely sing the truth." The statement comes from Miriam Makeba, South Africa’s greatest singer. She used her artistic career to fearlessly raise her voice against the apartheid regime in her home country. Mika Kaurismäki's documentary Mama Africa tells the story of her outstanding career and political messages. We get to know Makeba through archive footage and interviews as well as a variety of music performances. Makeba is a great, strong and talented artist who lived in political exile for 27 years. She came back to South Africa when Nelson Mandela got out of jail. He phoned her personally and asked her to come home. Throughout her career, Makeba has traveled the world with music and spread her political message of justice and peace. hs