 Drum premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 2004 . It was the lead film in the festival 's Spotlight on South Africa program . The Sundance Film Festival picked up the film , for its US premiere in January 2005 , as did the Cannes Film Festival in May . On 21 June , Drum was screened at the Boston International Film Festival during its first session . The film opened the 2005 Filmfest München on 25 June . 
