Documentary backdrop image for This is National Wake (2022)

Documentary backdrop image for This is National Wake (2022)

202266 minGdocumentary

Music History Racial Justice

This is National Wake

202266 minGdocumentary

One record was banned by South Africa's racist legal system, leading to the disbandment of National Wake within a few years of their emergence.

Music History Racial Justice

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Director

Synopsis

One record was banned by South Africa's racist legal system, leading to the disbandment of National Wake within a few years of their emergence.

People

Mirissa Neffdirector

Punka Khozacast

Synopsis

Johannesburg's underground club scene in the late 1970s became a backdrop for National Wake, a punk band with anti-establishment ideals. Their only record faced a ban from the apartheid regime, leading to the group's disbandment within a few years. Brothers Punka and Gary Khoza, two of the band's members, died young. Director Neff utilizes an extensive audio-visual archive, including Super-8 footage, to present a vivid portrait of a band committed to racial freedom and the lasting impact of their music.

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