1. Issues in Tsotsi?
Tsotsi as a film encourages empathy and develops your
understanding of contemporary global issues – the disparities
between wealth and poverty and the implications for society
when so many are robbed of their childhoods. It is a film about
chance, about opportunity and choice.
BASED ON REALITY? 1

2. What do you know about
South Africa?
• Over half the population lives below the poverty line – many on just a
$1 a day.
• A quarter of the population is unemployed.
• More than a fifth (21%) of the adult population is infected with HIV/Aids
and thousands of children grow up orphaned due to the premature
deaths of their parents.
• Despite a rapid house-building programme over the last decade it still
has many of its people living in shantytowns and squatter camps in
shelters constructed from scavenged scrap.
• Violent crime, though falling, still costs the lives of over 20,000 people a
year - and armed-robbery, car-jacking, rape and aggravated burglary are
the stuff of everyday anecdote.
Some or all of these are the painful legacies of 50
years of racism, discrimination and neglect and also
of the miseries in many other parts of Africa - that
make South Africa an incredible melting-pot of
nationalities and cultures.
2

3. How does the film Tsotsi represent
South Africa?
What impression of the country do you receive and what clues are there in it about the lives of ordinary
people living there?
The evidence of poverty The evidence that South
and affluence – consider Africa’s capital Johannesburg
the logo on Pumla Dube’s and its townships are lively,
shopping bag that Tsotsi energetic, bustling places.
steals to carry the baby off
in – ‘Expect More’.
The evidence of strong
Evidence of mixed cultural/artistic forces at
communities or highly work in the townships
segregated communities (consider the language, music
(apart from the one white and even the colourful fabrics
policeman – why is there and hanging glass and metal
so little evidence of white mobiles that Miriam
people in this film – produces in her home to
crossing Tsotsi’s path?) help make ends meet.)
The evidence of pollution
The evidence of disease –
particularly HIV/Aids (look out for
The prominence of crime and violence posters and also Tsotsi’s flashback
and the response of the police to memories of his mother)
crime and criminals – however young. 3

4. Representations and Stereotypes
Every time we Representation
watch a film, we therefore refers to
are not seeing the construction of
reality, but ‘reality'
someone's
version of it.
Look at these images and
Representation involves using your analysis skills
determine what or who is
analysing how identities are re- being represented,
presented or rather constructed consider how the
to communicate a certain representation is
meaning constructed.
4

5. Representations and Stereotypes
A stereotype is a commonly held image
of a person or group, based on an over
simplification of some observed or
imagined trait of behaviour or
appearance
mise-en-scene
performance
camerawork
framing
editing
sound
5

6. Representations and Stereotypes
Character Analysis: It’s important that
you are able to analyse the
representation of key characters is the
film. For revision purposes let’s stick
with Tsotsi.
Remember the PEE technique.
In stories it is often suggested that something significant happens that changes
things for the hero forever – initiating subsequent developments. The most
obvious such ‘agent’ in Tsotsi’s story is the baby but perhaps there are some
6
other more crucial moments in his story that were just as pivotal: as life-changing

7. How far does Tsotsi change over
the course of the film?
Think about Describe Tsotsi
Tsotsi at the at the end of
beginning of the the film
film
What are some of
the events that
may have caused
him to change
7

8. How far does Tsotsi change over
the course of the film?
• 1. Tsotsi stealing the baby.
• 2. The killing of the old man.
• 3. Boston’s self-disgust and his needling of Tsotsi leading
to the fight.
• 4. The sight of Boston’s swollen, infected face.
• 5. The conversation with Morris – the crippled beggar,
underneath the flyover.
• 6. The first rejection of Aap.
• 7. The second rejection of Aap – when they are in the
hijacked car chopshop.
• 8. The dream of his mother.
• 9. Miriam and her home in the township. Her tale of her
husband’s death teaches Tsotsi something about his
own crimes.
• 10. The memory of his father’s brutality triggered when
visiting Miriam.
• 11. The burglary of the baby’s home and in particular
time spent in the baby’s
• bedroom.
• 12. Butcher’s discovery of the gun and threatening of
John Dube – the father. 8

9. Themes and issues
9

10. Settings and locations in Tsotsi
Consider each
What does the
setting in the film
setting suggest to
Describe what it
audiences?
looks like
How does
one of the
settings
relate to
the theme
or issue
you
discussed?
10

11. Micro Features and their effect
Technique Example Effect
Cinematography, costume and music Warm golden colours used to show Shows that although it is poor it is also a
shanty town (aided by brightly coloured vibrant, colourful place that the
African clothing worn, upbeat Kwaito characters call ‘home’. (However at night
music played) it becomes more sinister.)
Camera shots: Often used to show the shantytown Emphasises the size of the slum. It is
High Angle and Wide Shot and/or where Tsotsi lives – rows of makeshift sprawling – we see the magnitude of
Crane shots houses and when policemen find Tsotsi’s poverty. His story is just one of many.
abandons the car on highway. It also makes it hard for the police to
find criminals – they become invisible
in the masses.
Camera shots: Tsotsi walking on tracks, Two things:
Film uses a lot of Tsotsi and gang melting into the 1. Seems stage like – Tsotsi is a
Wide Shots held for a long time crowd in the railway station, character in morality play – he
(alternated with Close Ups to show The pipes in the flashback has to go through certain
Tsotsi’s face) Tsotsi under bridge with Morris, etc episodes and learn and grow.
2. Shows how the characters lives
are intertwined with their setting
– eg Tsotsi’s life would be
different if he did not grow up
poor/orphaned by AIDS/ in
Soweto’s township
11

12. Micro Features and their effect
Technique Example Effect
Mise-en-scene Tsotsi’s corrugated iron hut is stacked Setting reveals character’s history –
with stolen audio-visual equipment life of crime but also practice in
townships of ‘making do’- Illegal
connection to mains power when he
puts on music.
Contrast in lighting Warm, earthy colours used for Emphasises the difference in the ‘two
township v. cool, sterile lighting used worlds’ in South Africa. We see the
to show train station, hospital gap between rich and poor more
clearly. The new black middle class
(John and Pumla) have access to
electricity, clean surroundings,
modern amenities. Poor must make
do with dirt floors, no running water.
Contrast in Mise-en-scene Water pump, use of wooden boxes as Same as above
makeshift furniture, houses made
from scrap timber in the shanty town.
This contrasts with a high-tech
security system, high iron gates,
spacious modern home with luxurious
furnishings.
12

13. Micro Features and their effect
Technique Example Effect
Mise-en-scene Colourful pastel mural of African Shows the ‘myth’ of South Africa that
plains with animals in baby’s room foreigners come to see - the
savannah, the wildlife. The reality
that people want to ignore is the
poverty.
Music / Soundtrack Booming Kwaito music (modern Creates mood – suggests their tough
South African music with hip-hop natures. Music brings to mind US
beat, strong bass line and spoken gangster rap – we think youth gangs,
lyrics) used when Tsotsi and his gang crime, feeling angry / estranged from
walk through township and in Soekie’s society, violence.
bar where the boys fight.
Sound effects Use of ‘snake rattle’ sound effect Creates sense of fear and suspense.
when Tsotsi is following Morris and Highlights the sense of J’burg as
Miriam dangerous/crime-ridden. Audience
fears for the ‘victim’ – suggests
predator is stalking his prey.
13