Tsotsi

"In this world... Redemption comes just once."

2005 1h 34m TN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 367

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young South African boy from the Johannesburg ghetto named Tsotsi, meaning Gangster, leaves home as a child to get away from his helpless parents. Now a teenage thug, Tsotsi finds a baby in the back seat of a car he's just stolen. He decides that it is his responsibility to care for the infant and in the process learns that maybe the criminal life isn’t the best way.

“In this world... Redemption comes just once.”

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Cast

Presley Chweneyagae
Tsotsi
Jerry Mofokeng
Morris
Terry Pheto
Miriam
Zenzo Ngqobe
Butcher
Zola
Fela
Rapulana Seiphemo
John Dube
Nambitha Mpumlwana
Pumla Dube
Percy Matsemela
Sergeant Zuma

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Gavin Hood
Writers: Gavin Hood
Languages: Sotho, Afrikaans, Tswana, Zulu, English
Countries: South Africa, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 3.3× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 21 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 5 languages: Sotho, Afrikaans, Tswana, Zulu, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: South Africa, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Gavin Hood, shot by Lance Gewer. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Paul Hepker. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Megan Gill shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Gavin Hood directs. Lance Gewer behind the camera. Paul Hepker scores. Megan Gill cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in South Africa, United Kingdom. Dialogue in Sotho, Afrikaans, Tswana, Zulu, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Made its money back 3.3× over at the box office.
3Released 21 years ago.
4Dialogue crosses 5 languages: Sotho, Afrikaans, Tswana, Zulu, English.
5International production across 2 countries: South Africa, United Kingdom.
6Directed by Gavin Hood, shot by Lance Gewer. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Paul Hepker. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Megan Gill shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Presley Chweneyagae and Jerry Mofokeng and Terry Pheto carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "In this world... Redemption comes just once.".
11IMDB entry: tt0468565 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Classified under 11 themes, including "baby", "police", "slum", "fight".