Black South African cinema continues to excite and intrigue, especially for the uninitiated like myself, who are gradually getting familiar with the country's offerings. I'll leave the pro stuff to our friends at Africa Is A Country who cover politics, sports, entertainment, and more, for all of the African continent, with a special emphasis on South Africa.

In the meantime, here's a trailer for an upcoming South African action drama I was just alerted to titled Zama Zama, from Kokamoya Productions, directed by Vickus Strijdom, and starring Lindani Nkosi, Presley Chweneyagae, Khulu M Skenjana, Renate Stuurman, Fumani Shilubana, Lebogang Inno, Mfundo Mdlalose, Masoja Msiza, and Israel Mokoe.

There's a really long synopsis of the film that I think gives away too much, so I won't post it here. My shortened cut/paste description reads: Zama Zama (which means "Illegal Miners" in English) tells the story of two brothers — Malcolm Phiri a former Zama Zama, now a successful businessman in the mining industry, and his long lost brother Joseph Phiri, a current Zama Zama — playing off against the tension of the mines' punitive actions against illegal miners. When Malcolm learns that his alienated brother is one of the intended victims of a planned raid Malcolm initiates on Zama Zamas operating in a specific region, he decides to risk his high societal standing and try to save his brother Joseph.

 The film is said to explore themes of guilt, forgiveness and reconciliation taking place in this subterranean milieu. 

I watch the trailer and immediately think of recent South African or Sotuh African-set drama/thrillers we've featured on S&A like How To Steal $2 Million, and even Man On Ground, to name a couple.

Zama Zama is scheduled to open in South Africa next month, August 24, at Nu Metro Cinemas nationwide.

Here's its trailer (as an aside – yes, a better trailer could be cut; but being familiar with the talents of the film's stars, the above synopsis, and a general sense I get from it, I'm in):