DE, RPA, FI | 2011 | colour | 90 min
reż|dir Mika Kaurismäki pro|pro Rainer Kölmel, Starhaus Filmproduktion, Millennium Films, Marianna Films, ZDF/arte sce|sc Mika Kaurismäki, Don Edkins zdj|ph Jacques Cheuiche, Wolfgang Held, Frank Peter Lehmann, Martina Radwan, Eran Tahor muz|mus Miriam Makeba mon|ed Karen Harley, Uwe Dresch, André Bendocchi-Alves ob|cast Miriam Makeba, Zenzi Monique Lee, Nelson Lumumba Lee, Hugh Masekela, Angelique Kidjo dys|dis Fortissimo

Mama Africa is the film biography of Miriam Makeba, South African singer and anti-apartheid activist, the voice and the hope of Africa. Miriam Makeba was an incredible person. She was the first black African musician who won international stardom and whose music – that influenced artists across the globe – was always anchored in her traditional South African roots, as was her ceaseless message against racism and poverty. She sang for John F. Kennedy and Marlon Brando, performed with Harry Belafonte, Nina Simone and Dizzie Gillespie. This documentary, directed by Mika Kaurismäki, traces her life and music using rare archive footage of her performances, interviews and intimate scenes filmed over the years, we are shown a unique person, a world icon Miriam Maceba – “Mama Africa”.

DIRECTOR | Mika Kaurismäki (1955)
After the success of his first film The Liar, Mika founded the production company Villealfa Filmproductions together with his brother. Mika directed the award-winning Three Wise Men. His latest film The House of Branching Love premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival 2009.