THE ANGEL, BICYCLE AND CHINAMAN’S FINGER

It is South Africa, May 1991. A small community of post office workers must stage a very different kind of nativity play to impress the Japanese ambassador, who will not give the minister of post and telecommunications a grant until he is satisfied that there is no racial discrimination in the country.
The ambassador chooses Nuka Moya, a small town in the middle of nowhere, as his barometer. The postmaster, Corrie, receives an instruction from the minister: “Show the ambassador there’s no racial discrimination in the community or be transferred to an even smaller town.”
Corrie chooses a nativity play and orders all employees to get ready for rehearsals.
But the right-wingers threaten a small-scale war if they are forced to act with black workers. Slowly, however, everyone gets to know – and appreciate – each other.
This boisterous political satire was made just before the end of apartheid.

Director
Nicholas Ellenbogen & Koos Roets

Comedy
90’
Colour
Betacam
South Africa

Title
The Angel, Bycicle and the Chinaman’s finger, 1992

Production
Katinka Heyns