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U-Carmen eKhayelitsha is a 2005 South African operatic film directed and produced by Mark Dornford...

U-Carmen eKhayelitsha is a 2005 South African operatic film directed and produced by Mark Dornford-May. The movie is a modern remake of Bizet's 1875 opera Carmen. It was shot entirely in Xhosa, and combines both music from the original opera with traditional African music. It takes place in the Cape Town township of Khayelitsha. U-Carmen was translated into Xhosa by Andiswa Kedama and Pauline Malefane, who also play Amanda and Carmen in the movie, respectively. The cast rehearsed for four weeks before they began shooting the film. The film's musical numbers were recorded live on the set without any additional dubbing. The film was Dornford-May's directorial debut. Also, none of the cast members had ever acted on film before. The film begins when Nomakhaya arrives at a Cape Town police station, looking for police sergeant Jongikhaya. He is out on patrol, so she decides to return later to avoid being harassed by the other officers. Meanwhile, Carmen and Amanda are going to work at the cigarette factory. They pass in front of Jongikhaya's police vehicle and Carmen yells at him for parking there. Nomakhaya eventually finds Jongikhaya and gives him a ring that his dying mother sent him: