What it is about
Katrina September, a coloured woman living under apartheid in South Africa, decides to leave her family and move away with her son Paul so she can pass as white and build a better life. She takes the name Catherine Winters. Soon both she and Paul become involved in romantic relationships that complicate their situation, while Katrina must face the pressure of the past she left behind.
How it was made
The film is based on Basil Warner's stage play Try for White. Emil Nofal wrote and produced it, and Jans Rautenbach directed. Peter Henkel edited, Vincent Cox handled cinematography, and Roy Martin composed the music. Jill Kirkland leads the cast alongside Katinka Heyns and Don Leonard.
Reception and legacy
Katrina was released in 1969 and grossed roughly R900 000 at the box office, with about 400 000 white and coloured viewers seeing it. It was first released in English and Afrikaans and was later dubbed into eleven other languages. It also entered the 1970 Cannes Film Festival. Its reception among Afrikaans audiences was controversial, and the director reportedly received death threats from right-wing groups, though this is not firmly documented. Ned Munger reviewed it in Africa Report.
Trivia
Multiple dubbing
Although it was first released in English and Afrikaans, the film was later dubbed into eleven other languages.
Stage origin
The screenplay adapts Basil Warner's stage play Try for White.
Original Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.