'' Mapantsula '' is a 1988 South African crime film directed by Oliver Schmitz and written by Schmitz and Thomas Mogotlane . It tells the story of Johannes ' Panic ' Themba Mzolo ( Mogotlane ) , a small-time thief , set against the backdrop of Apartheid . The film 's use of flashbacks between Panic 's time at the hands of his apartheid jailor ' Stander ' ( Marcel Van Heerden ) and happenings in the Johannesburg township of Soweto display the injustices black South Africans suffered during apartheid and their struggle for suffrage . The film makes extensive use of political rallies , police brutality , and racial difference to example the effects of apartheid on black South Africans . It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival . The film was selected as the South African entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards , but was not accepted as a nominee
1988 Cannes Film Festival
1988 Cannes Film Festival
Mapantsula