Documentary backdrop image for The Banjo Boys (2025)

Documentary backdrop image for The Banjo Boys (2025)

202576 minGdocumentary

The Banjo Boys

202576 minGdocumentary

A chance encounter leads three musicians from local busking in Lilongwe to global stages like Sauti za Busara and WOMAD.

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A chance encounter leads three musicians from local busking in Lilongwe to global stages like Sauti za Busara and WOMAD.

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Johan Nayardirector

Synopsis

In the streets of Lilongwe, Yobu Maligwa and Yosefe Kalekeni, members of the Madalitso Band, craft music with a banjo, a one-stringed babatone, and a foot drum. Once ridiculed, their fortunes change when they meet British musician Neil Nayar. Together, they transition from local busking to performing at international festivals like Sauti za Busara and WOMAD. The trio faces challenges, including visa issues and personal tragedies, yet their bond and music lead to a 2023 world tour and a celebrated homecoming in Malawi.

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