sedona news – The Sedona International Film Festival will host the Northern Arizona Premiere of “This Is a National Wake” at the Mary D. Fisher Theater on Friday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m.

Featuring local resident Vusi Sibabo, 'This Is National Wake' follows the wild rise of a multi-ethnic South African rock band billed as 'the band that rebelled against apartheid'. Its members risked everything to taste freedom.

In 1979, South Africa's apartheid regime kept blacks and whites separate and unequal. However, three young men, Ivan Cadei, a white guitarist from the Jewish side of Johannesburg, and black Shangaan brothers Gary and Punka Khoza from Soweto, dared to start National Wake.

In a time and place when it was illegal for these young musicians to play or live together, their bands and their fans fought back with music. They broke all the laws and rebelled, an act chronicled with remarkable foresight and nerve in the stunning Super 8 by the film's co-producer Nadine Cady and cinematographer Robin Muir. I did.

“This Is National Wake” offers a dreamlike immersion into a utopian journey, with lasting lessons about imagining an anti-racist world in this historic band’s hilarious It still resonates today just as loudly as the original sound.

The premiere will be followed by a Q&A with Sedona's Vusi Sibambo, National Wake's Ivan Kady and co-producer Nadine Kady, as well as special live music by Ivan and Vusi.

“This Is the National Wake” will be performed at the Mary D. Fisher Theater on Friday, February 9th at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $12, or $9 for film festival members. For tickets or more information, call 928-282-1177. Both theater and festival offices are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, West Sedona. See below for more information. www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.